290 MILLION YEARS OLD: Newly discovered plant species existed in Socorro County before dinosaurs

A new species of plant that lived 290 million years ago in Socorro County is latest discovery announced by the Smithsonian Institution and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.

This find not only adds a new species to the paleontological record but also highlights the rich and complex history of life in what is now New Mexico. It’s an ancient discovery highlighted by the plant existing before dinosaurs walked the earth.

The newly identified species, named Socorropteris cancellarei, lived during the Permian Period and was discovered in rural Socorro County. This finding resulted from collaborative research, with the study published in the latest edition of the journal Annals of Botany. The work was co-authored by Smithsonian curator William DiMichele, NMMNHS Curator Spencer Lucas, and NMMNHS Research Associates Susan Harris and Paul May.

The fossilized plant was uncovered by Susan Harris in the northeastern part of Socorro County. This small, upright plant, estimated to have grown to a height of 20 cm, was an opportunistic survivor. Researchers believe it was a seed plant that quickly colonized habitats disturbed by natural events like floods and fires. This suggests that the Permian ecosystem in the region was characterized by large-scale flooding.

“This new research underscores that New Mexico was a hotbed of life during much of the Paleozoic Era,” said Dr. Anthony Fiorillo, Executive Director of NMMNHS. “It raises new questions about the plants that lived in our state 290 million years ago and demonstrates that even during our museum’s renovation, our researchers continue to explore our world scientifically.”

The name cancellarei was chosen to honor Joe Cancellare, a dedicated volunteer who has contributed to NMMNHS for over a decade, both in the museum’s fossil collections and in the field. Dr. Spencer Lucas, NMMNHS Paleontology Curator and co-author, praised Cancellare, stating, “Joe Cancellare represents the best of volunteers: always cheerful, helpful, and tireless in his work to support the Museum and its scientific programs.”

While this discovery sheds light on a unique ancient ecosystem, it also raises new questions. The rarity of the plant in the fossil record is puzzling, given the expected prevalence of floods in the area. Researchers are now investigating whether Socorropteris cancellarei was indeed a rare species or if its scarcity is due to the fragility of its fossils or sampling biases. Further studies are planned to explore these intriguing questions.

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