Controversy over 4-legged fossils

The new study suggests that a four-legged solid fossil does not have the characteristics of a snake and is actually an ancient lizard species living under water.

Dr. Michael Caldwell, head of the Department of Biology, University of Alberta, Canada, said that fossil biology named Tetrapodophis amplectus, thought to be a four-legged snake, is actually a dolichosaurid lizard . This is an extinct animal with a snake-like body and an ancestor of some species of ocean lizards and reptiles, Nature World News reported on November 1.

Research on Tetrapodophis amplectus (meaning four-legged snake) was first published in July 2015 by David Martill, professor of paleontology, University of Portsmouth, England. He said that this animal about 20cm long uses small legs to hunt and keep mates while mating. It is an important link to show that snakes evolved from four-legged lizards.

Tetrapodophis four-legged solid fossil with the first part folded in the left corner.(Photo: David Martill).

This study by Professor Martill is of great interest to Cardwell, because he thinks that many of the features mentioned in the study are vague.

He and his colleagues came to Germany, using digital microscopes to enlarge fossil images. From there, they concluded that this is not a four-legged solid fossil.

"Tetrapodophis has no common characteristics in snakes," Caldwell stressed.

Specifically, Tetrapodophis amplectus has no hook-like teeth and the fossils found in the stomach are actually fish bones, which can be its food. This proves that Tetrapodophis is more likely to be a dolichosaurid lizard, an aquatic animal.

However, this conclusion was met with a rebuttal by Professor Martill.

"I think Caldwell has yet to prove Tetrapodophis is not solid. Some of his observations, such as the fact that it has no hooked teeth, are wrong. Tetrapodophis has a row of abdomen and vertebrae of the species. In addition, it has many other characteristics similar to snakes based on the results of anatomy of the skull, " said Professor Martill.