A pair of lizard ’kings’ from the old, old West

This photograph shows two blocks containing the holotype of Microteras borealis.
This photograph shows two blocks containing the holotype of Microteras borealis. It consists of a portion of the snout (left) and the braincase (right). (Courtesy of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History)
This photograph shows two blocks containing the holotype of Microteras borealis. It consists of a portion of the snout ( left ) and the braincase ( right ). (Courtesy of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History) - Yale research has identified the oldest-known, definitive members of an evolutionary group that includes all living lizards and their closest extinct relatives. Yale researchers have identified the oldest-known, definitive members of the lizard crown group that includes all living lizards and their closest extinct relatives. The two new species, Eoscincus ornatus and Microteras borealis, fill important gaps in the fossil record and offer tantalizing clues about the complexity and geographic distribution of lizard evolution. The new lizard -kings- are described in a study published in Nature Communications. This helps us time out the ages of the major living lizard and snake groups, as well as when their key anatomical features originated,- said Chase Brownstein, first author of the study.
account creation

TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.



Your Benefits

  • Access to all content
  • Receive newsmails for news and jobs
  • Post ads

myScience