Article contentInvestigation processArticle contentAs nothing is confirmed yet, researchers have to go through the process of writing up the discovery to have it published in a scientific journal, said Calder.Article content“And the main reason we do this is to have it go through the scrutiny of other scientists to weigh in on their opinion,” he said.Article contentAlong with opinions from the Smithsonian, Calder said he has gained input already from people living in the United States and Morocco.Article contentThe name of the footprint could be pachypes, according to some consensus among people, he said.Article content“But that’s just the name of the footprint. It’s like a Nike or an Adidas or something. But it doesn’t tell us who was wearing that slipper or sneaker,” said Calder.Article contentIt’s most likely that they’ll never find the foot from the footprint, he added.Article content“What we can do is we describe the footprint and we assign it the correct name. It may have a new species name,” said Calder.Article contentArticle contentAs the discovery of a footprint is new, it presents questions, challenges, and debates, he added.Article content“That’s the fun part of science. And we have to be kind of paleo-sleuths, in trying to track this creature,” said Calder.Article contentFootprint shapeArticle contentCalder said the found fossil footprint is about 28 centimetres across.Article content“It does tend to be fairly round if you track the toes around the heel. It’s pretty roundish, stubby toes, but big,” he said.Article contentAdditionally, Calder said the footprint is known to be the largest size found from the early Permian period.Article contentIt’s the biggest that’s been found in P.E.I., he added.Article content“This is not the time of dinosaurs. This is the geological period, the time before the era of the dinosaurs. So we’re about 70 million years before the dinosaurs,” said Calder.Article contentPermian periodArticle contentThe Permian period is the name given to this time and is sometimes nicknamed the age of reptiles, said Calder.Article contentArticle content“It’s the time that preceded the age of dinosaurs, which starts with the Triassic, the famous Jurassic of the movies, and then the Cretaceous period.”Article contentAs this time period set the stage for the evolutionary story of the dinosaurs, reptiles were becoming more numerous and diverse, said Calder.Article content“Different types of reptiles are evolving. And this is the time period that we’re looking at,” he said.Article contentArticle contentDid you know?Article contentYearly, on average, approximately 50 fossils from the province worthy of displaying at the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage are found.Article contentArticle contentMore findingsArticle contentOne major factor in the increased discovery of fossils in P.E.I. is Brunet, said Calder.Article contentHe also said there have probably always been fossils tumbling out of cliffs on the seashore.Article contentCalder said public interest is growing, as more people want to find fossils.Article content“As people are becoming more and more aware of the fossil legacy of P.E.I., more and more people are discovering fossils. Or at least out there looking.”
Researchers try to determine source of P.E.I.’s biggest fossil
