A tiny lizard fossil, Cryptovaranoides microlanius, pushes back the origins of lizards and snakes by an astonishing 35 million years.
New research re-examines this ancient reptile's bone structure, revealing key features unique to the squamate group.
These features, previously misinterpreted, definitively classify Cryptovaranoides as the oldest known squamate, reshaping our understanding of reptile evolution.
This discovery significantly impacts our timeline of reptile evolution, highlighting the importance of careful fossil analysis.
