Oldest gecko found, according to a media release from Oregon State University, 26 August 2008. Scientists have found a gecko foot and tail preserved in a piece of amber from the Hukawng Valley in Myanmar (Burma). The amber is dated at Lower Cretaceous, 97-110 million years old. This makes the gecko at least 40 million years older than any other gecko fossil. The foot is tiny, but it has the distinctive setae, the tiny hairs with flat ends that adhere to any surface and enable geckos to walk up vertical walls and across ceilings. The researchers believe it was a juvenile of a species that grew to be about a foot (30 cm) long. According to Oregon State University “The new study provides evidence that geckos were definitely in Asia by 100 million years ago, and had already evolved their bizarre foot structure at that time.” The report goes on to say, “It’s not known exactly how old this group of animals is, and when they evolved their adhesive toe pads. However, the new study makes it clear that this ability was in place at least 100 million years ago, in nature. Modern research programs still have not been able to completely duplicate it.” The Gecko had a striped pattern and has been classified as a new genus and species, and given the name Cretaceogekko.
Editorial Comment: If this is the oldest gecko fossil then it is good evidence that geckos have always been geckos, with their distinctive toes, and show no sign of having evolved from any other kind of creature. The fact that scientists have yet to be able to duplicate the gecko’s adhesive pads despite much creative intelligence being applied to the problem is a reminder that the gecko was designed by a smarter scientist. This fossil is good evidence for Genesis, which tells us that living creatures were created as fully functioning creatures, designed to reproduce after their kind. (Ref. Design, reptiles, fossils)
Evidence News 24 September 2008