News Paleontology

Oldest known lizard fossil pushes group’s origins back 75 million years

CT scan reveals identity of ancient remains found years ago in the Italian Alps

lizard-snake fossil

NEW OLDEST LIZARD  New details revealed by a CT scan helped identify a 240-million-year-old fossil called Megachirella wachtleri (shown) as the oldest known member of the lizard-snake lineage.

MUSE - Science Museum, Trento, Italy

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

A little animal that washed out to sea 240 million years ago off the coast of what’s now Italy turns out to be the oldest known fossil of a lizard.