21.9.2023- University of Lisbon:10 years, 10 visits

Last 16th September, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the University of Lisbon, the Instituto Superior Técnico organized a visit to Museu Alfredo Bensaúde/Décio Thadeu (geosciences museums) to the general public. We counted with the online participation of Zanildo Macungo who is showing the importance of collections and how they can be used for research. The history of the Museum was recounted by Amélia Dionísio and Maria João Pereira, and some highlights of various notable fossils in the collections were given by Ricardo Araújo.

20.9.2023- Featuring Benjamin Sitoe

Benjamin Sitoe was one of the PaleoMoz students who conducted novel research on a new dicynodont specimen and reported species for the Metangula Graben. Benjamin, together with his colleague Jenifa (who will be featured soon), conducted the first phylogenetic analysis to ever be included in a 5-year Bachelor degree in Mozambique. This attests the progressive known-how transfer to the Mozambican academia, such that the first generation of Mozambican paleontologists gets trained at the highest international standards. Benjamin is an excellent team worker and managed to got to know the ins-and-outs of all relevant dicynodont publications.

1.6.2023- Children’s day celebrated as a paleontologist

In another outreach initiative directed by the Ciência Viva Center, the four children that were winners of a video contest shared with the public their passion about paleontology. On that day, they were hosted by Zé Maria, who was the mini-director of the Ciência Viva Center for one day. Henrique Baptista talked about Diplodocus Velociraptor and Triceratops. Francisca Viegas talked about the early evolution of dinosaurs. Tiago Aboim showed a collection of fossils, namely some graptolites (that everyone thought it was a dwarf dinosaur tail), ammonites and trilobites. Rosa Fonseca showed her collection of minerals and fossils, and shared her enthusiasm for the geological world. Congratulations to the winners and to the honorable mention received by Marco, who also stepped on the stage.

Also, Félix Silva talked about the scientific importance of fossil footprints, while João Brenho and João Diogo talked about their exciting discoveries of possibly stegosaurian-made footprints (Deltapodus and Stegopodus), under supervision of Prof. Celestino.

It was clearly demonstrated that the new generation of paleontologists is on good hands.

Congratulations to Dora Dias, Miguel Esperança, Irina Pinheiro, Vasco Lopes, Rosalia Vargas and everyone at the reggie of the Ciência Viva Center for making this happen.

18.5.2023- Three Mozambican students defended their thesis brilliantly

Benjamin Sitoe, Jenifa Murane, and Adriano Sitoe defended this last thursday their thesis and are now fully earned their degree. They worked on multiple specimens of dicynodonts from Mozambique that have been collected through the years during our PaleoMoz Expeditions. Kudos to them! They were the first students to include phylogenetic analyses in their theses, demonstrating that the standards are moving higher and higher in Mozambique to have a top-notch scientific community. Now, our best wishes to them that will surely guarantee them a bright future.

16.2.2023- Outreach at Ciência Viva

This past 25th February the PaleoMoz project was present at the Ciência Viva Center in Lisbon in order to showcase to the wider audience “How is the backpack of a paleontologist in field?”. Lots of fun and questions in an initiative called “On track of Science”, which included various paleontologists such as Elisabete Malafaia, Mário Cachão, Lígia Castro and Ricardo Araújo.

16.2.2023- So long… Barry

Barry Cox was a British Paleontologist that devoted part of his life to the study of African dicynodonts, he later specialized in biogeography and wrote a famous textbook. His taxonomic revision of Endothiodon was a fundamental work to better understand the taxonomy of one of the most bizarre dicynodonts that roamed Earth. He also jointly described the new species Endothiodon tolani, together with Ken Angielczyk, which turned out to be present in Mozambique as well. His PhD thesis, defended in 1958, described in detail the anatomy of Dicynodontoides (= Kingoria) and remains a reference work to this day. His memory will live through his children and extensive published work. We are happy to have met him and having him as a friend of the PaleoMoz Project.

25.11.2022- PaleoMoz presentation at Ciência Viva Center

On the evening of the 23rd November, Carla Lourenço from the Ciência Viva Center mediated a conversation between the general public and Sebastián Crocco, Ricardo Araújo and Prof. António Rendas. Besides the PaleoMoz movie that was presented on that evening, we exchanged ideas about work and funding of scientific research in Africa, the challenges and rewards of working in Mozambique, and the excellent interchange that is ongoing with the Aga Khan/FCT projects between Portugal and African Lusophone countries.

17.11.2022- PaleoMoz movie event at Ciência Viva Center

The coming 23rd November, 6:30pm, the Ciência Viva Center will host a visualization and conversation about the PaleoMoz movie and a conversation about our adventures in Mozambique. This event follows the opening of the new dinosaur exhibit promoted by Ciência Viva and in celebration of the Science and Technology Week.

30.10.2022- XZen Club hosts PaleoMoz talk on the life of a paleontologist

The XZen club hosted a talk by Ricardo Araújo on the daily life of a paleontologist in the past 22nd October. The XZen club was celebrating its 10th anniversary and invited various Portuguese cientists such as Fernando Pires, Rita Sousa and Víctor Encarnação to talk about their research and inspire the forthcoming generation of Portuguese scientists. Many thanks to the XZen club for promoting science and scientific thinking from the earliest ages!

28.10.2022- Huge news for the PaleoMoz Project: largest fossil forest in the world, from Mozambique, is considered one of 100 world geosites!

Thanks to the long-standing work, discoveries and publications of the PaleoMoz Project we are now happy to announce that the “Tete Fossil Forest” is among selected 100 world geosites by the IUGS (International Union of Geological Sciences). We are immensely proud that we are now collecting the fruits of our long-term project. The distinction was obtained in Zumaia, Basque Country, Spain.

1.10.2022- PaleoMoz Project publishes new dicynodont species from Malawi

Dicynodonts are distant mammal ancestors and the PaleoMoz Project just published an entirely new species to science from the Late Permian (~260 million years old) from Malawi. It was a subterranean form just like a mole today. This research is the result of synchrotron scanning at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, which allow to separate digitally the bone from the rock matrix. This enabled the researchers to understand the anatomy of this type of animals with unprecedented levels of detail. This research was published as a Festschrift to Dr. Roger Smith in the Journal of African Earth Sciences. Dr. Smith is a prominent South African geologist and paleontologist, who integrated the PaleoMoz Expedition in the past.

30.9.2022- PaleoMoz Project showcasing fossils during the European Researchers’ Night

This year we were present at the Centro Ciência Viva in Lisbon, next to a myriad of other researchers, showcasing to the general public our findings for the occasion of the European Researchers’ Night. Hundreds of kids (and grown ups) were allowed to touch and learn about 260 million year old Mozambican fossils collected by the PaleoMoz Project. Outreach is at the core of our Project and we couldn’t be happier to participate in this innitiative.

16.8.2022- PaleoMoz Project documentary in official selection of an international film festival

We are happy to announce that our documentary “Projecto PaleoMoz: Mozambique, a history to discover” is now part of the official selection of the Polish International Film Festival in the Documentary category. The Documentary and Experimental Film screenings will happen in Warsaw this coming 24th August. We are happy to join many other documentaries in one of the most important film festivals in Europe. Our documentary showcases the first generation of Mozambican paleontologists and the day-to-day activities of an international team of scientists that are attempting to unveil the mysteries of the Mozambican geology and paleontology.

20.7.2022- PaleoMoz Project paper in Nature

The article “Inner ear biomechanics reveals a Late Triassic origin for mammalian endothermy” was published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature. Major insights into the tempo and mode of evolution along the synapsid (mammalian) lineage were revealed using the form and size of the semicircular canals of the inner ear.

We are very happy to take the name of the PaleoMoz Project to the entire new heights of paleontological, physiological and biomechanical research worldwide. Congratulations to the PaleoMoz team and all the researchers involved in this study!

Some additional views on our article were published in the News & Views section and here. Multiple popular science news websites also covered our discovery, namely: here, here, here and here. In Portuguese: here.

19.6.2022- Major news for the PaleoMoz Project…

A sneak peak for a major publication about to come out…

17.6.2022- Documentary “PaleoMoz Project: Mozambique, a history to discover” has been awarded several prizes and recognitions

We have submitted our documentary various Film Festivals and it has been critically acclaimed in various instances. Namely, our documentary has been awarded the Silver Award in the International Tourism Film Festival 2022 (South Africa), it is part of the official selection of the Wildlife Vaasa Film Festival (Finland), it has been nominated for the Sibersalz Science & Media Awards (Germany), and got an honorable mention in the Sci-On! festival (USA, Nevada). Congratulations to the entire team and especially to Sebastián Crocco for directing such an inspirational movie!

1.6.2022- New PaleoMoz publication: emydopoid basicrania and adaptations to fossoriality

A new study in the Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society makes use of high-end technology to unveil the fossorial (i.e., living underground like moles) adaptations of the back of the skull in a specialized group of dicynodonts. Zanildo Macungo, passed various years segmenting and interpreting the complex morphology of the skull and actually erected new phylogenetic characters that support a new arrangement of the tree of life of these interesting creatures. Here is the link to the paper.

28.5.2022- Trailer of the new PaleoMoz documentary

Stay tuned for more…

23.5.2022- Première of the new PaleoMoz documentary

The PaleoMoz team organized the première of the new documentary based on the 2019 field campaign. Various notable people came to attend to the première and made their interventions. The movie was directed by Sebastian Crocco and has already received international accolades. We are much grateful to Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, as well as Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear and Museu Nacional de Geologia for continuous support. Also, we must thank Aga Khan Foundation and Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia who made it possible.

21.4.2022- New dicynodont species reported from Mozambique

The PaleoMoz team is happy to announce our new paper on a new species reported for the first time in Mozambique and Zambia: Dicynodon angielczyki. Dicynodon is the eponymous genus that has suffered heavy revision in the last years, and currently only two main species are considered valid: D. lacerticeps and D. angielczyki. Dicynodon angielczyki was found in Tanzania, but with these new discoveries it is reported for Mozambique (Metangula Graben) and Zambia (Luangwa Basin). The discovery of Dicynodon angielczyki also comes from an entirely new locality discovered in the PaleoMoz team in 2019. A great new addition to the Paleontology of Mozambique with very interesting biostratigraphic implications! The new paper was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Please check out some broadcast media news here and here.

16.4.2022- PaleoMoz Project scanning fossils in the best scanner in the world

We are currently in Grenoble, France, to scan multiple Mozambican and South African fossils at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Luckily we managed to get fossils scanned at the brand new beamline BM18, fully dedicated to paleontology and biomedical purposes. The results are amazing and we are grateful to the ESRF crew at BM05 and BM18 for helping us out with setting up the scans, namely Paul Tafforeau, Kathleen Dollman and Kudakwashe Jakata. The beam at the synchtrotron is so powerful that we don’t even need to prepare the fossils to work on them. As a matter of fact, often times preparation can actually damage the fossils, so currently we scan them first and then we prepare them.

11.4.2022- Yuniss Cumbane, defends her bachelor’s project successfully

Yuniss Cumbane has just defended today her scientific project on the “Palinostratigraphy of the Permo-Triassic Transition at the Metangula Graben: a revision” with an excellent grade of 16 out of 20. Yuniss has been collaborating with us under the PaleoMoz Project for the past couple of years, and she is the first graduate from the Instituto Superior de Ciências e Tecnologia de Moçambique, a recent university from Maputo. we wish her the best of luck in her following pursuits.

23.3.2022- Zanildo’s, PaleoMoz researcher, publication accepted!

Zanildo as a result of his Master’s project is already publishing his second first-author paper, where he delves into the mysteries of inner skull anatomy in a specialized group of dicynodonts. Zanildo found that they are unique in using both their head and forelimbs to dig tunnels… stay tuned for more details on the amazing scientific discoveries of the PaleoMoz team!

22.3.2022- PaleoMoz documentary selected among the winners in film festival

It is with great pleasure that we have been announced to be among the winners at the International Tourism Film Festival 2022. The ceremony will take place in Cape Town in the coming May and we are anxious to know who will take the top prize! Nevertheless, thanks to Sebastián Crocco the movie director, as well as all the interviewees and PaleoMoz team for making this come through!

10.12.2022- New article accepted! A new dicynodont species for Mozambique

We will get a new paper out soon as we have received the great news that one of our articles has just been accepted for publication in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. We have discovered a new species for Mozambique and the paleobiogeographic picture of the Late Permian is now becoming progressively clear in the African Karoo basins.

10.11.2021- Zanildo Macungo earns his Master’s

We are pleased to announce that Zanildo Macungo has recently been awarded his Master’s degree. Congratulations! Zanildo performed painstaking 3D reconstructions of one of the most obscure parts of the dicynodont skull: the basicranium. Using computed tomography, Zanildo defined slice-by-slice thousands of tomographic slides the borders between the bones surrounding the brain and other sensory organs. Zanildo focused on a particularly complicated group of dicynodonts: the emydopoids. These small dicynodonts were most likely fossorial, i.e., they dug burrows to live underground. This was traditionally revealed by their robust limbs and claws, just like those of moles today. But ,emydopoids also have adaptations in their basicranium for the attachment of strong neck muscles that they also used for digging tunnels, burrows and dens. Zanildo discovered a slew of these adaptations in a remarkably detailed work that is about to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. This work also granted him his master’s degree at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg under supervision of Julien Benoit and Ricardo Araújo. Many, many more outstanding scientific discoveries await Zanildo’s brilliant scientific career!

10.10.2021- PaleoMoz 2021 expedition

Once again our team went to the field in September. Our aim was mostly to consolidate previous locality discoveries from the K6 formation and K5c member as well as collect samples for palynology. We have retrieved numerous vertebrate fossils including abundant dicynodonts, gorgonopsians and probably a biarmosuchian. More adventures await soon.

20.8.2021- New paper out! Mozambican fossils reveal unique tooth replacement in bizarre mammal ancestor

Our new paper is out on the tooth replacement and attachment in endothiodontids, a bizarre dicynodont group, extremely common in Mozambique. Due to our extensive Endothiodon collection and the presence of Niassodon, we were able to understand the tooth replacement, attachment and development in the most bizarre group of dicynodonts! The unique pattern of tooth replacement has only been found in this group of animals and it is unparalleled in any other animals.

6.8.2021- Paper in press in Scientific Reports: tooth replacement in Endothiodon

We are happy to announce that the PaleoMoz team just got a paper in press on the tooth replacement in endothiodontids, which is a bizarre clade of dicynodonts — a branch-off the mammalian ancestors. Endothiodontids, except some very basal forms, are the only mammal ancestors (synapsids) to have multiple tooth rows. Several lines of teeth arranged in such a manner that they slice up the food they ingest using their teeth as a grinding machine. Now, endothiodontids belong to a group of animals, the dicynodonts, that have no teeth for the most part. How could such extreme dental morphology emerge from an essentially toothless group of animals? Endothiodontids are so bizarre among dicynodonts that is hard to conceive. Imagine a bird that instead of its toothless beak had so many teeth that they could not fit into a single row, as in us humans. In this new article we explore how that happens and how endothiodontids have actually attached their teeth to the jaw. More soon… stay tuned.

30.7.2021- Featuring Keila Cumbane: are some mammal ancestors endemic to some east African basins?

Keila Cumbane has dedicated an important part of her life in the recent couple of years to paleontology with the PaleoMoz team. The specimen that Keila studied was collected in the first days of the PaleoMoz 2019 expedition in a totally new area, previously not prospected. It was thanks to a Gemusse Maganga and Imed Macuango, two local farmers that work with us over the past decade, that this new specimen was discovered. They spotted the finding and we immediately recognized its importance: entombed in stone there was a complete dicynodont skull! Once the specimen came to Maputo, Keila put her hands on it and did a magnificent preparation work. She was the first to employ detail preparation under the microscope, to discern the sutures between the bones. She prepared and studied the specimen for over a year, describing in great detail the anatomy of the specimen. She found that, analogously to what has been discovered in the Ruhuhu basin in Tanzania and another, yet to unveil, basin there was Dicynodon angielczyki. It was the first time that this species was identified in Mozambique. The biostratigraphic implications are paramount and we are about to submit a paper describing the finding. We are very thrilled to see Keila furthering her education in the near future!

11.7.2021- Two new species of fossil wood from Mozambique

As a result of Nelson Nhamutole’s master’s work, we have erected two new species of the genus Protaxodioxylon from the Metangula Graben. The preservation of this ~259 Ma trees is outstanding and allows to characterize with incredible detail the taxonomic affinities of the fossilized woods. One species was called Protaxodioxylon verniersii honoring the incredibly detailed geological work done by Jacques Verniers back in the 1970’s that allowed a first look at the fossil trees from the basin. The other species was named after the region where these amazing fossil woods were found: Protaxodioxylon metangulense. The scientific paper was published in the Journal of African Earth Sciences. This work was funded by the Aga Khan Foundation /FCT (Portugal), National Geographic Society, Museu Nacional de Geologia (Mozambique), Fundo Nacional de Investigação (FNI, Mozambique), Palaeontological Scientific Trust (PAST, South Africa), the Centre of Excelence in Palaoscience (CoE-Pal, South Africa). The PaleoMoz Project continues moving forward and more discoveries await!

17.6.2021- Featuring Moisés Muzazaila: description a new genus for Mozambique

Moisés Muzazaila made important strides to move forward paleontology in Mozambique. He described a new species for Mozambique of a known dicynodontoid only for Tanzanian beds. The specimen that Moisés worked on was found during the highly successful PaleoMoz expedition that occurred in 2019, and despite the problems resulting from COVID-19, he has completed the work in time. More specimens from the same species wait preparation so Moisés clearly carved the way for establishing a solid basis for the description of this new species for the Metangula Graben.

4.6.2021- Three PaleoMoz students defended brilliantly their BSc in Applied Geology theses

This past 3rd of June was a great for the PaleoMoz Project. Three students, Keila Cumbane, Ussene César and Moisés Muzazaila defended their BSc with distinction. They all performed innovative research under the PaleoMoz Project at the Museu Nacional de Geologia in their final contribution to finish their degree in Geology from the Eduardo Mondlane University. We are proud of their work and contribution to Mozambican geology.

1.6.2021- PaleoMoz Project is awarded beamtime at the synchrotron

The PaleoMoz has just received some great news: we have been awarded beamtime to scan fossils at one of the most powerful synchrotrons in the world: the ESRF. When we scan fossils with a synchrotron we can see amazing anatomical details of a fossil that would just be too hard to visualize using conventional micro-computed tomography, the same type of equipment that is used when you break an arm and you can see where it is broken. The synchrotron is an “upgraded version” of a computed tomography machine that allows more resolution, more contrast between bone and matrix. We will be able to pierce through the obscure anatomy of various relevant fossils from Mozambique collected during our expeditions.

26.5.2021- Dino Milisse talks about the PaleoMoz Project on the radio

Dino Milisse was recently interviewed by the Mozambican radio, Rádio Indico FM on the show “Gentes, Sons, Sabores, e Lugares de Moçambique” (“People, sounds, tastes and places of Mozambique”). Dino, the director of the Museu Nacional de Geologia (National Museum of Geology) discussed the various activities of the museum, including the findings, discoveries and activities of the PaleoMoz Project.

25.5.2021- Nelson Nhamutole is awarded his Master’s in Science

It all started in 2016 when we realized that there were much more to know then what was currently known concerning some fossil forests in Mozambique. These fossil forests are known since the XIX century when Livingstone went up the Zambezi river and reported fossil logs that the people used for stools sometimes.

Now we give these fossil logs a completely different use… Nelson Nhamutole through his research analysed more than 300 thin-sections of fossil logs at the Wits University, reflecting an immense work that is now giving the relevance that the amazing fossil forests of the Tete province deserve. Nelson and the PaleoMoz team collected hundreds of fossil log samples from Tete and Niassa since 2016.

Through his work Nelson identified new species of fossil wood, some new to science, others new to Mozambique. And through our fieldwork we identified that the Tete fossil forest is the largest in the world. Yes, you read that right.

Let this be the beginning of many other scientific discoveries, papers and projects!

14.12.2020- First vertebrates from the dinosaur era, the Mesozoic, found in Mozambique

The PaleoMoz project published this last 11th December another great contribution to the Mozambican paleontology. The fossil remains of various Lystrosaurus specimens were found in the Fubué Formation, comprising the first vertebrate remains ever found from the Mesozoic in Mozambique. This opens a window of opportunity to find the first dinosaurs from Mozambique. Alongside the fossil discoveries, we also detailed the biostratigraphy of lower stratigraphic formations and provided the first absolute ages for Metangula Graben sediments. The article is available here. The media coverage can be viewed here, here, here, here and here.

13.12.2020- Gemusse Maganga, PaleoMoz field collaborator passed away

We are sad to announce that our long-term field collaborator, Gemusse Maganga, passed away last week. He was a strong and experienced fossil collector that greatly contributed to the success of our expeditions not only by finding lots of fossils, but also participating in the logistics and excavations. He was always well humored and will be remembered by his children. Rest in peace Gemusse.

12.10.2020- PaleoMoz on the news, once again

This time round Dino Milisse, the director of the Museu Nacional de Geologia (Maputo) got interviewed by the airline news outlet Índico. Dino Milisse explains about the discoveries and the mission of the PaleoMoz Project: to create the first generation of paleontologists from Mozambique, reach out and teach about the unique fossil heritage of Mozambique, and to discover and preserve the vast amount of fossils and fossil localities of the country.

9.10.2020- PaleoMoz does not stop!

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, under all security measures, we still performed fieldwork this year in Mozambique, by collecting numerous specimens and contributing to the advancement of science in Mozambique!

6.02.2020- Featuring Marisa Amaral.

Marisa Amaral has worked for the past two years on making first paleohistological study from Mozambique and with Mozambican fossils. This groundbreaking work was possible due to our longstanding cooperation with the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, namely professors João Mugabe and Daúd Jamal. Marisa has sectioned various different Endothiodon specimens, namely jaws and maxillae, to understand the tooth implantation and their attachment tissues to the bone. This is of high significance because Endothiodon is one of the few dicynodonts to possess (postcanine) teeth, but also they have an unparalleled tooth arrangement with multiple tooth rows. She has produced amazing images showing the finest details of tooth histology of this enigmatic genus.

5.02.2020- First paper published by Mozambican vertebrate paleontology students.

We are very happy that our paper finally came out in the Journal of African Earth Sciences. This is the very first time that Mozambican paleontology students publish their own research results on a scientific peer-reviewed journal. This is a benchmark moment the PaleoMoz project, for the Mozambican students involved, and for Mozambican paleontology. We found two species of Endothiodon, a dicynodont, in the same strata, which is the first time such co-occurrence has been reported. The two species are Endothiodon bathystoma and Endothiodon tolani . It is the first time we report Endothiodon tolani in Mozambique, and it is the second worldwide. This was a collaborative effort from Zanildo Macungo, along with Ivânia Loide, Nelson Nhamutole and Sheila Zunguza, but also João Mugabe, Kenneth Angielczyk, Iyra Maharaj and Ricardo Araújo. We also came out on the news here, but check out the original paper here.

2.01.2020- Scanning specimens from PaleoMoz 2019 expedition

We successfully scanned new specimens through our collaboration with the Université de Montpellier. We can now see the bones in the interior of small hematitic concretions in spectacular detail. The resolution of this scans is only a few tens of micrometers. We will then reconstruct the skull of these specimens in order to study the anatomy of these fossils from a completely new locality.

18.10.2019- PaleoMoz Project field season

This year we went once again to the Tete and Niassa Provinces. The results of the expedition were outstanding, not only we found new localities and fossil sites in Tete, but we also found over 250 samples of geological and paleontological material in Niassa. Our intent was to wrap up the Metangula Graben this year, however, we found we are just starting to scratch the surface. We found new fossils in triassic sediments, but we also have now a deeper understanding of the geology of the Permo-Triassic of the Metangula Graben. On top of that we found fossils in all members of the latest stages of the Permian, with new modes of occurence, and preservational styles. Additionally, we found tree stumps or fragments in all formations from the K3 up to the KSb and collected palynological samples for further analyses at the lab. It was by far the most successful year from a scientific standpoint, and we can’t wait to keep on finding more material. Additionally, we are currently producing a documentary about our mission in Mozambique; keep tuned for the release of the premiére, Congratulations to Zanildo Macungo, Salimo Murrula, Nelson Nhamutole, Sebastian Crocco, Marion Bamford, Roger Smith, Steve Tolan, Buanar Rashid, Mwajibo Macuando, Luís Macuango, Imed Macuango, Gemusse Maganga, Issaia Macaneta, Paulo Juga and Ricardo Araújo for facing the hardships of this year’s long fieldseason so bravely.

17.10.2019- PaleoMoz Project lab visited by a hundred of students

The new facilities being developed by the PaleoMoz Project are becoming not only a national scientific center for paleontology, but also an educational resource to spread the word about the discoveries we have been finding and their meaning to students of the Mozambican academia. At the lab we showed them about our distant mammalian ancestors, the environments they lived in and their demise by the end of the Permian. We also showed the practical aspects of paleontology, such as how to perform preparation and conservation.

16.10.2019- PaleoMoz Project on the largest international fair of Mozambique

The PaleoMoz Project was once again present at the 55th Fair of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry of Mozambique (FACIM 2019). This international fair happens in the Marracuene district, near Maputo. The fossils being prepared and studied under the PaleoMoz Project were shown to thousands of people, therefore serving as a great tool for dissemination of our project.

08.08.2019- PaleoMoz Project on the news

Dino Milisse, the director of the National Museum of Geology, gave an interview in TVM (the national TV station) about the state of paleontology in Mozambique. Our recent discoveries were discussed as well as the aim of creating the first generation of paleontologists in Mozambique. Dino also talked about the important goal of spreading knowledge and protecting the invaluable paleontological heritage of Mozambique.

20.07.2019- First Micropaleontology course in Mozambique

In tandem with the PaleoMoz Project and the Universidade de Brasília/Universidade de São Paulo we organized the first Micropaleontology course. This course was organized by Demerval Carvalho and counted with experts in various subjects of micropaleontology including calcareous nanofossils, radiolarians, charophytes, and many other groups. For this first edition we had five Mozambican students attending the classes with other Brazilian students. Vânia Baloi, Rosário Raposo, Moisés Muzazaila, Víctor Viegas, and Maurício Guiliche were the selected students to integrate the course. Congratulations to all of them!

9.07.2019- PaleoMoz presents at Encontro Ciência 2019

The PaleoMoz Project was present at the Encontro Ciência 2019 that is happening from the 8-10th July in Lisbon. This meeting intends to let a large audience know about scientific projects going on in Portugal and establish bridges between researchers and the general public. All the other FCT/Aga Khan recipients were also present, and you can have a look at some of the projects here, here or here.

27.06.2019- A new scientific work on the Mozambican Endothiodon

Sheila Zunguza made a very strong case using statistics and morphometrics techniques to understand the ontogeny and taxonomy of the Endothiodon species from Mozambique. Yesterday, Sheila defended her final scientific work, which is mandatory to finish her bachelor’s degree. She is a brilliant student with a great future ahead of her.

Sheila Zunguza made a very strong case using statistics and morphometrics techniques to understand the ontogeny and taxonomy of the Endothiodon species from Mozambique. Yesterday, Sheila defended her final scientific work, which is mandatory to finish her bachelor’s degree. She is a brilliant student with a great future ahead of her.

30.05.2019- Two PaleoMoz bachelor’s seniors defended their final works.

Sarita Guluja and Mussa Mamad defended brilliantly their bachelor’s final scientific works as a result of their internship at the National Laboratory of Paleontology (Maputo, Mozambique) under the veil of the PaleoMoz Project in collaboration with Universidade Pedagógica da Beira. Their works focused on anatomical description of fossil material from the Niassa province while implementing phogrammetry techniques for curational purposes. Congratulations to both!

24.05.2019- PaleoMoz featured in the news.

At the occasion of the International Museums Day the National Museum of Geology and the PaleoMoz project was featured in the news of the daily newspaper Notícias from Mozambique.

14.05.2019- New lignite deposits from Mozambique.

And our paper is now hot off the press… We report a new lignite deposit from the Gaza province of Mozambique. We are very excited about this outcrop as it has lots of interesting paleontological potential. Through our collaboration with the Porto University, the PaleoMoz project now reveals to the world these exciting scientific discoveries. The degree of preservation of the coals can inform about the paleoenvironment in which they were formed. The coals from Gaza were formed in a topogenous mire under mesothropic anoxic conditions. Say what? These coals were formed in a bog with reduced rainfall, with moderate levels of organic activity and occurring in conditions of oxygen depletion. Find out more here.

9.05.2019- New PaleoMoz paper accepted.

We are delighted to know that we currently have a new paper accepted in the Journal of African Earth Sciences. Our team is at full steam to value and enhance the knowledge of the Mozambican geological an paleontological heritage!

6.05.2019- Featuring Sheila Zunguza.

Sheila Zunguza has been working on her bachelor’s project for the PaleoMoz project. Sheila invested the last year of her life trying to understand the population dynamics of the Endothiodon populations from the Permian of Northern Mozambique. Endothiodon is, surprisingly, the most common vertebrate species from the sedimentary basin in Mozambique. This is surprising because Endothiodon is usually a rare element of the fauna in most other African sedimentary basins. Sheila employed morphometrics and statistical analysis to understand the genus at a population level. Most vertebrate paleontology studies cannot be studied at a population level, because often vertebrate fossils are rare, unlike the unparalleled quantity of vertebrate fossils in Mozambique.

26.03.2019- PaleoMoz Project featured in PalNews.

An article about the PaleoMoz project 2018 expedition was published in the March issue of the Paleontological Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) newsletter. Feel free to read our (mis)adventures and findings from our 2018 fieldwork and learn much more about what is going on in Southern Africa paleontology.

15.01.2019- Welcome the two new PaleoMoz Project master’s students

The PaleoMoz Project is proud to annouce that Nelson Nhamutole and Zanildo Macungo are officially now master’s students at the University of Witswatersrand (South Africa) in collaboration with the Instituto Superior Técnico under the auspices of the PaleoMoz Project. The University of Witswatersrand is a partner of the PaleoMoz Project, it is the second-best university in Africa and the leading world institution in the research of the fossils from the Karoo, which are coeval strata to the Mozambican layers in the north of the country. Nelson and Zanildo will now follow the footsteps of giants such as James Kitching, Bruce Rubidge and others. Congratulations! The PaleoMoz project aims to create the first generation of paleontologists in Mozambique.

11.01.2019- Scanning of PaleoMoz Project fossil material collected in the 2018 expedition

The fossil material collected in the PaleoMoz expedition is already being studied. We performed a series of micro-computed tomographies to observe the intricate details of the anatomy of various specimens collected in the course of the expedition. For that we counted with our long-term collaboration with the Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier at Université de Montpellier.

8.12.2018- New Memorandum of Understanding signed for the PaleoMoz Project

A new Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Museu Décio Thadeu e Alfredo Bensaúde (Portugal) and the Museu Nacional de Geologia (Mozambique) at the occasion of the XIII Jornadas de Santa Bárbara at Instituto Superior Técnico in order to enhance the scientific and training collaboration between institutions. We are happy that these institutions have now formalized their partnership, surely sparking further cooperation in the future. Learn more about the event here.

1.11.2018- Another grant for the PaleoMoz Project

We are happy to inform that we received another grant for the PaleoMoz project. With this grant we will continue to spread the aims and mission of the project: to promote and value the Mozambican fossil heritage and engage young people in science and technology.

31.10.2018- New PaleoMoz paper on tree hollows from a fossil tree

Hot off the press: our new paper had just come out. Tree hollows are depressions on the tree external surface that can have multiple origins. We found an incredible example in a fossil tree with more than 250 million years. Please check out the paper where we discuss the implications of these structures often elusive to paleobotanists.

30.10.2018- PaleoMoz 2018 expedition

This year’s expedition was a tremendous success. New localities, new odd fossil vertebrates, (a lot) of fossil wood, new analysis. We walked more nearly 200km and drove nearly 9000km. We used boat, motorbike, pick up truck; we crossed two countries. This was the longest and one of the most adventurous expeditions we have ever done. Zanildo Macungo, Nelson Nhamutole, Ricardo Araújo, Dino Milisse and Steve Tolan made it happen!

12.09.2018- PalNiassa/PaleoMoz project at an international fair

Dino Milisse, Nelson Nhamutole and Zanildo Macungo presented a stand at the Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Fair of Mozambique (FACIM) that happened from 27th of August to the 2nd of September in Maputo. The stand was visited by thousands of people and we had the opportunity to showcase our most recent findings. 

22.08.2018- AGA KHAN / FCT grant awarded to the project

We proudly announce that a Aga Khan / FCT grant has been awarded to the PalNiassa team of nearly 300k€. It is our intention to train the first generation of Mozambican paleontologists in areas as distinct as vertebrate paleontology to paleobotany. Our new project has the name PaleoMoz and will no longer be focused in the Niassa province, but rather in the entirety of the Mozambique country. Our project was presented to the sponsors of the project at the Ismaili Center in Lisbon on the 12th of July. Various people from the president of the Fundação para a Ciência e Technologia to the high commissioner of the Aga Khan Development Network were present.

16.07.2018- Presentation at an International Congress

The PalNiassa team were present at the 15th International Paleontological Congress that happened from the 9th to the 13rd July in Paris. We presented about the largest fossil forest in Africa by the voice of Anne-Laure Decombeix, who is collaborating with us in this topic. The session in which it was presented was The Evolution of Tress and Forests. 

27.06.2018- Research trip to South Africa

The Palniassa team completed a productive research trip to South Africa in June. We first visited Wits University (Johannesbourg) to analyse several wood samples and vertebrate specimens. Then we visited the vertebrate collection of the Council for Geosciences (Pretoria), and finally we examined unique specimens of Endothiodon at the Iziko South African Museum (Cape Town).  We gave a seminar at the University of Cape Town and discussed with several colleagues about our project. We examined over 250 specimens, collected nearly 4000 images, 146 thin-section microphotographs, and  identified 120 Mozambican fossils. To accomplished this, we travelled nearly 5,000km through beautiful South Africa.

03.04.2018- Research internship at Stuttgard Museum of Natural History

Nelson Nhamutole is currently doing an internship at the prestigious Stuttgard Museum of Natural History under a Rave Foundation fellowship. He is learning various curation, preparation and thin-sectioning techniques that will be paramount to his future research endeavours.

21.11.2017- PalNiassa team awarded a National Geographic grant

Members of the PalNiassa team have been awarded a National Geographic Standard Grant to explore the post-extinction Triassic fauna and flora from the Niassa Province. This amazing opportunity will allow the researchers to refine the stratigraphy, pinpoint the end-Permian boundary, and find new vertebrate fossils from Mozambique. We are very proud that our work is endorsed by the prestigious National Geographic Society and that we are now part of their Explorer family! The international research team comprises Ricardo Araújo (project leader) and Rui Martins from the Instituto Superior Técnico (Portugal), Dino Milisse and Nelson Nhamutole from the Museu Nacional de Geologia (Mozambique), Kenneth Angielczyk of the Field Museum (USA), Jim Crowley from Boise State University (USA), Sterling Nesbitt from Virginia Tech University (USA), and  Roger Smith of the Iziko Museum (South Africa).

04.09.2017- PalNiassa team at FACIM 2017

Once again the PalNiassa team was present at FACIM 2017, the Mozambique International Trade Show (28th of August to September 3rd) in Ricatla, Marracuene near Maputo. Thousands of people had the opportunity to see fossils collected in the province of Niassa during the PalNiassa expeditions. 

24.08.2017- Largest fossilised forest in Africa discovered by PalNiassa team

In this year's field expedition, PalNiassa paleontologists ventured into new territories in the Tete and Gaza provinces to prospect for new fossils. Amongst other discoveries, the team found many fossilised trees spread throughout an area of over 75km. This 250 million-years-old fossilised forest is the largest discovered in Africa to date. Also this summer, two new undergraduate students from the University Pedagógica da Beira (Beira, Mozambique), Sarita Gujula and Mussa Mamad, began their research training at the Paleontology Laboratory in Maputo. They have already learned techniques such as moulding and casting, photogrammetry and satellite imaging. We are excited that our team is expanding and delighted to welcome the first female Mozambican student to the project. 

04.07.2017- PalNiassa team member awarded a scholarship in Germany

We are delighted that Nelson Nhamutole, head of the Paleontology Laboratory of the Museu Nacional de Geology of Mozambique, has recently been awarded an Alexander Rave Scholarship to do a research internship at the Stuttgard Museum of Natural History, starting in 2018. 

01.07.2017- Director of National Geology Museum visits Portuguese research institutions

The director of the Museu Nacional de Geologia of Mozambique, Dino Milisse, visited several Portuguese research institutions (1st to 9th July) with the aim of strengthening existent collaborations and fostering new partnerships for the PalNiassa Project. Several Mozambican fossils that were temporarily kept at the Museum of Lourinhã during the construction of the Paleontology Laboratory in Maputo were also returned to Mozambique. A new partnership was established with the Museu Décio Thadeu and the Museu Alfredo Bensaúde of the Instituto Superior Técnico. 

27.05.2017- PalNiassa team publishes new research

The PalNiassa team has recently published two research articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. The first study, which was led by Ricardo Araújo and was published in PeerJ, explores several aspects of the paleobiology of gorgonopsians. This work was featured in several Portuguese media outlets such as Diário de Notícias, Jornal de Notícias and SIC Notícias, amongst others. Another study was recently published in Scientific Reports and was led by Sérgio Ferreira-Cardoso, a PhD student who assisted in the 2015 PalNiassa field expedition. In this study, the dicynodont Niassodon mfumukasi is amongst other species analysed to describe the anatomical diversity of the flocculus, a region of the "reptilian" brain. This study was also featured in a Portuguese newspaper. Both these studies are open-access and can therefore be consulted by any researcher or member of the public.

07.05.17- PalNiassa team at the EDUCA Mozambique: International Education Fair and Conference  

Staff from the PalNiassa partner Museu Nacional de Geologia (Mozambique), including  Sérgio Matsinhe, Marta Munde, Carla Guente, Issaia Albino and Zanildo Macungo, recently represented the museum and the PalNiassa project at the second edition of EDUCA Mozambique: International Education Fair and Conference organised by CADE (Comunidade Académica para o Desenvolvimento) from the 1st to the 7th of May 2017 in Maputo. The theme for this event was "Women and Youth Empowerment through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) as a basis for sustainable socio-economical development of Mozambique". The fair had over 50 thousand participants and about 150 representatives from all over the world. Our team presented a stand with samples of fossils and minerals, and posters about the importance of the geological and paleontological heritage of Mozambique. 

06.03.2017- Students at University Eduardo Mondlane welcome PalNiassa team

Nelson Nhamutole, curator at the National Museum of Geology (Maputo) and head of the new Paleontology Laboratory, gave a seminar to over 200 Biology undergraduate students of the University Eduardo Mondlane earlier this month. He introduced the PalNiassa project to the students and presented the latest fossil discoveries. Science outreach activities such as these are fundamental to disseminate the PalNiassa project and the work of the National Geology Museum, and therefore to protect the rich paleontological heritage of Mozambique.

31.01.2017- PalNiassa featured in newsletter of the Paleontological Society of Southern Africa

An article about the PalNiassa project was published in the February issue of the Paleontological Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) newsletter. The PSSA was founded in 1979 with the aim of advancing the science of palaeontology in Southern Africa by facilitating the cooperation between every person interested in the study of evolution, comparative anatomy and taxonomy. PalNiassa scientists are members of the PSSA and actively engaged in its activities. The PSSA and the PalNiassa project share important goals: conservation and preservation of fossil sites and promotion of the paleontological heritage in Africa.

26.11.2016- PalNiassa team at the Young Earth Scientists Network workshop

Nelson Nhamutole, Albano Nhassengo and Zanildo Macungo presented the Project PalNiassa in a seminar at the "Promoting Geosciences to the Society" workshop organised by the Young Earth Scientists Network (YES Network) in Namaacha, Mozambique. The YES Network is an international association of early-career geoscientists from across the world. 

09.10.2016- Portuguese Ministry for Science and Technology visits the National Geology Museum

The Portuguese Secretary General of the Ministry for Science and Technology, Maria Fernanda Rollo, visited the National Geology Museum of Mozambique during her official visit to Mozambique in October. The Director of the museum, Dino Milisse, had the pleasure of showing her the Musem collection and presenting the PalNiassa Project, as well as discussing future collaborations. 

08.09.2016- PalNiassa team at the Annual Gems Fair of Nacala

Nelson Nhamutole and Zanildo Macungo presented a stand at the Annual Fair of Nacala (FAGENA), which is organised by the Direcção Provincial de Recursos Minerais of Nampula. The stand was visited by over hundred people from geologists to members of the public, and with a special visit by the Governor of Nampula, Victor Manuel Borge. 

23.08.2016- PalNiassa in the news!

The Portuguese newspaper Público published an in depth article by Teresa Firmino about the PalNiassa project and the conclusion of the first development phase of the Paleontology Laboratory in Maputo. In the article, Ricardo Araújo emphasises the important role of the laboratory in providing research training in paleontology to Mozambican students: "Currently, students from Universidade Pedagógica da Beira can do internships in the laboratory, and soon geology undergraduates from the University Eduardo Mondlane will have practical classes here. In the future, the laboratory will also be open for visitors, who will be able to see fossils and learn about the amazing Mozambican paleontological heritage." 

You can read the entire Público article here (in Portuguese).

27.06.2016- The first development phase of the Paleontology Laboratory is completed

Nelson Nhamutole, Dino Milisse and Ricardo Araújo have initiated the fossil preparation activities in the new temporary Paleontology Laboratory in Marracuene (in the outskirts of Maputo), thus completing the first phase of this project. In the second phase, this temporary laboratory will be moved to a new building that is currently under construction. 

Brand new equipment for fossil preparation was set up and Nelson Nhamutole, Head of the laboratory, received laboratory management and technical training. Students from the University Eduardo Mondlane, Albano Nhassengo and Zanildo Macungo, received training in fossil preparation and are currently working in the laboratory as preparators. Estela Cuambe had a determinant role in managing the logistics and financing of the laboratory construction. 

We thank Matt Brown, Alexandra Tomás and Mike Polcyn for helping with the first architectural draft of the fossil preparation lab designed by Ricardo Araújo. It is now becoming a reality!

17.04.2016- PalNiassa launches video in tribute to Luís Costa Junior

The PalNiassa team has released an animated movie created by artist Edel Truda under the scientific direction of Ricardo Araújo in tribute to Luís Costa Junior, former Director of the National Geology Museum (Maputo) and co-founder of the PalNiassa project. Luis Costa Junior sadly passed way in 2015. This beautiful movie aims to capture the essence of the PalNiassa project and the passion of Luis Costa Junior for preserving the geological and paleontological heritage of Mozambique. 

04.03.2016- PalNiassa students defend their thesis at University Eduardo Mondlane

Congratulations to Zanildo Macungo and Albano Nhassengo for successfully defending their theses! As part of their geology undergraduate degree at University Eduardo Mondlane, Zanildo and Albano spent one year studying Endothiodon material collected during PalNiassa field expeditions. PalNiassa paleontologists supervised their research work and the preparation of their theses.