Tiny 242-million-year-old fossil could rewrite lizard origins
Scientists recently described a tiny, 242-million-year-old fossil that might shake up what we know about where lizards come from.
This ancient creature, Agriodontosaurus helsbypetrae, is now the oldest known member of the group that includes today's lizards, snakes, and tuataras.
What the ancient lizard looked like
Unlike modern lizards, its skull doesn't have a hinge or palatal teeth—instead, it has an open temporal bar in the skull and big triangle-shaped teeth likely used to pierce insect shells.
Researchers used advanced X-ray scans to study it without causing damage.
Why this find is so important
This discovery suggests early relatives of lizards had different skulls and diets than their modern cousins.
It also shows tuataras weren't always "living fossils"—they were once more diverse than we thought.
All in all, this fossil helps fill in some big gaps about how reptiles evolved into the creatures we see today.