Fossils reveal the ancestors of today's lizards and snakes

The specimen found in the Alps is believed to be the fossil of the ancient lizard species living on Earth at least 240 million years ago.

An international team of scientists today announced the discovery of a new species of ancient lizard named Megachirella wachtleri, based on a fossil found in the Alps, northeastern Italy. Reptiles believed to be the ancestors of today's lizards and snakes can survive at least 240 million years ago, AFP reported yesterday.

Ancient lizard Megachirella wachtleri may be the ancestor of scaly reptiles.(Photo: AFP).

The team used computerized tomography to scan entire fossil bone samples at the micro level, and synthesized analytical data from more than 130 living specimens and other fossils of reptiles. There are scales from 50 museums in 17 countries around the world.

The results show that the ancestors of scaly reptiles could exist on Earth much earlier than we thought before. They may have lived on Earth at the same time as the first dinosaurs, when our planet had only one continent.

"This specimen is about 75 million years earlier than the oldest ancient lizard fossil known to man. The discovery will provide important clues to understanding the evolution of reptiles. extinct as well as living species today, " said Dr. Tiago Simoes from Canada's University of Alberta, the lead author of the study.