Diplocaulus Found

Professor Patrick Schembri, writing in the Sunday Times, reports of a new photo that's been making the email rounds showing a very strange looking animal captured in a bucket. Versions of the email variously claim that the animal was found either at Il-Maghluq in Marsascala, or in Bahrija. Schembri identifies the animal as none other than a Diplocaulus, extinct for 270 million years, which means that the photo almost definitely must be a hoax (either that or it's a major scientific discovery). He writes of the Diplocaulus: "The very distinctive head may have been an adaptation against predators, since the wide head would make Diplocaulus difficult to swallow, or it may have aided the animal to swim by acting as a hydrofoil. Like most other early amphibians, Diplocaulus lived in or near water. It probably fed on insects or fish. It was also considerably larger than the image doing the rounds suggests, since fossils as large as 80 cm in length have been discovered." (via The Anomalist) image

Animals Photos

Posted on Mon Nov 22, 2004


Comments

Hoax or no, that's still a pretty cool picture.
Posted by Lucy  on  Mon Nov 22, 2004  at  08:19 AM
It looks like a rubber toy.
Posted by PlantPerson  on  Mon Nov 22, 2004  at  09:39 AM
I found this: http://www.cryptozoology.com/sightings/sightings_show.php?id=971 about a sighting.

And another discussion on whether or not this is a hoax: http://www.cryptozoology.com/forum/topic_view_thread.php?tid=11&pid=145808 , this also has links for other pictures of them.
Posted by Maegan  on  Mon Nov 22, 2004  at  12:11 PM
Hoax or not, I'm sure it will show up on the evolution-disbelievers' websites asap.
Posted by cvirtue  on  Mon Nov 22, 2004  at  12:17 PM
i didn't know malta was big enough to hold a university
Posted by John  on  Mon Nov 22, 2004  at  04:29 PM
It doesn
Posted by Evey  on  Mon Nov 22, 2004  at  05:06 PM
- Diplocaulus image source found
http://www.perspectivas.com.mx/noticias/
Posted by Kentaro Mori  on  Tue Nov 23, 2004  at  02:44 AM
It was fun while it lasted...
Posted by Lothar Ignatius  on  Tue Nov 23, 2004  at  05:42 PM
Oh, first thing I did was emailing Prof. Schembri about that. He kindly thanked, very nice. I also emailed The Anomalist, they also thanked and linked to the find. Then, I also posted the comment here 😊
Posted by Kentaro Mori  on  Thu Nov 25, 2004  at  10:27 PM
im studying diplocaulus for extinked anamals or nerly extinked. Ps. i am bad at spelling : )
Posted by doug  on  Wed Jan 18, 2006  at  09:02 AM
This isnt real. It was made by a Japanese artist.
Posted by J  on  Tue Oct 03, 2006  at  01:21 AM
Does anyone have proof that this was made by an artist, such as the artist's name or web site? (Until then I am believing that this is a live little creature in a bucket.) I tried looking in the Perspectivas archives, but they were not to be found.
Posted by Narwhal  on  Sat Oct 27, 2007  at  10:37 AM
Considering that I have searched and no known toy manufacturers make this model with a curved tail, lack of color, and leathery skin, (evident from the picture). I would like to know where the model come from... Further more, the picture is not Photoshoped. Also this model is either a really professional model, of UN-COMPROMISED quality, or real. Notice that the skin in the image has imperfections, that the bone structure while flowing is flawed and bent at irregular angles. Overall, If I had the resources I would be diligently seeking for the taker of this photograph, as I have doubts that it is fake. People cannot be quick to dismiss things simply because scientific hypothesis state that this animal is extinct. Remember a hypothesis is only an educated guess, that seems to fit.
Posted by Natdog  on  Mon Mar 31, 2008  at  09:53 AM
Man, you see detail in that photo that I can't, Natdog. It just looks like a nifty toy to me (the feet look particularly unlifelike), but that doesn't mean that's what it is. I'm not dismissing it, I just don't see the miracle that you do. It would be really cool if it were a diplocaulus, but I can't tell much of anything from this photo.
Posted by Kathleen  on  Mon Mar 31, 2008  at  03:22 PM
I went to a friends house, they used to have a swamp on their property, unfortunately it dried up recently. I was playing man-hunt out their and I swear I saw 2 of them.
Posted by AJ  on  Wed Jun 25, 2008  at  12:51 PM
does anyone know exactly where the photo was taken? need location for research. very important.
Posted by sci-kid  on  Mon Mar 14, 2011  at  06:03 PM
soory guys. i just did some research and i am pretty darn sure that its a fake. realy too bad. apperently an amature japanese artist[couldnt find the name] made this clay model for a competition in a magazine and photographed it in 1995 or 1996. realy to bad though. still a cool model.
Posted by sci-kid  on  Mon Mar 14, 2011  at  06:16 PM
THIS CAN EASILY BE REAL REMEMBER THE coelacanth THEY FOUND THAT THE LOCALS HAVE BEEN CACHING FOR YEARS!!!! proving evolution is BULLSH!T
Posted by Reuben Solly  on  Fri Jul 01, 2011  at  03:32 PM
I want you to listen to my story. I’m Frank I’m 18 and I’m living in Germany. For I am old enough to take responsibilities, I am aware that waht I tell you is no lie, even though this topic is really old.
When I was a little boy I had this book about dinosaurs and amphibian and stuff and I also saw a Diplocaulus in it even though it looked kind of ugly to me.
Once me and my family went to vacation to Cesenatico in Italy and when i went to sea I saw a Diplocaulus. I knew what it looks like because of my dinosaur book. I ran out crying of the water, because I was afraid of this thing, ’cause I knew it was extinct and I couldn’t believe such thing. My dad and my sister came along and took a look at it, but told me it looks harmless. It was’t very large between 20cm to 40cm if I remember it right.
Believe me or not, but what I say is the truth and nothing but the truth and I can remember this situation as if it was yesterday.
I’m sorry that I’m so late with my experience, I hope you can forgive me.
Posted by Frank  on  Wed Oct 30, 2013  at  10:29 AM
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