Tag Archives: Reptiles

Ancient Long-Necked Marine Reptiles Discovered in China

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The remarkably long neck of Lijangosaurus johnschengensis. The research team, led by paleontologists from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, identified 42 cervical vertebrae at the site.

Reconstruction of nososaurs from approximately 240 million years ago showcases previously hidden diversity in southwestern China: Lijangosaurus johnschengensis (center), Nososaurus janjuanensis (top left), Nososaurus luopingensis (top right), Brevicaudosaurus janshanensis (bottom left), and Lariosaurus hongoensis (bottom right). Image credit: Kelai Li.

Lijangosaurus johnschengensis thrived in the mid-Triassic oceans between 247 and 241 million years ago.

The following ancient creatures belong to the Notosaurus clade of marine sauropterygian reptiles.

Nososaurs could reach lengths of up to 7 meters (23 feet) and swam using four paddle-like limbs.

They possessed flat skulls with a network of slender conical teeth specialized for catching fish and squid.

“Sauropterygia emerged as a dominant marine reptile clade in the Early to Middle Triassic, maintaining its significance for approximately 180 million years within the Mesozoic marine ecosystem,” stated lead author Dr. Xiang Qinghua and colleagues.

“Early diverging sauropterygians include placodonts, pachysaurids, nososaurs, and early pistosaurs.”

“The iconic group known as plesiosaurs represents a clade that diverged later from pistosaurs within the suborder Pterosauria.”

“Nososauridae represents the systematic paleontological equivalent of nososaurids and encompasses more than just nososaurids (nososaurus and lariosaurus) as well as other nososaur species.”

“Although numerous species have been described, nososaurs show low diversity at the genus level and in anatomical morphology relative to other sauropterygian subgroups.”

“Typically, nososaurs are larger than pachypleurosaurs but smaller than pistosaurs, including plesiosaurs.”

The skull of Lijangosaurus johnschengensis was small, while its body extended over 2.5 meters (8 feet) in length.

It evolved an extraordinarily long neck with 42 cervical vertebrae, twice the number seen in most sauropterygians of its time.

“Plesiosaurs are generally recognized for their surprisingly long necks,” noted the paleontologists.

“Despite some late-diverging plesiosaur species exhibiting short necks, early plesiosaurs and their Triassic ancestors, early pistosaurs, featured impressively elongated necks with more than 30 cervical vertebrae, indicating a conformational lineage between early pistosaurs and plesiosaurs.”

“In line with this traditional understanding, we consider only necks with more than 30 cervical vertebrae as long or elongated necks in our research.”

“This distinctive feature of plesiosaurs is unmatched among secondary marine quadrupeds; in contrast, other leading marine animals like ichthyosaurs, thalatoids, mosasaurs, and cetaceans typically possess shorter necks and exhibit more fish-like traits.”

The fossilized skeleton of Lijangosaurus johnschengensis was unearthed in a previously unidentified Early Middle Triassic zone of the Beiya Formation in Yunnan Province, China, near the eastern Tibetan Plateau and northern Myanmar.

“This location differs from previously documented fossil-rich regions in southwestern China along the Yunnan-Guizhou border,” the researchers remarked.

Lijangosaurus johnschengensis marks the earliest known instance of a sauropterygian reptile with an exceptionally long neck featuring 42 cervical vertebrae.

“Our findings demonstrate that extreme cervical elongation, defined as possessing more than 30 cervical vertebrae, emerged in sauropterygians prior to the arrival of plesiosaurs and their pterosaur ancestors,” the scientists concluded.

“Moreover, Lijangosaurus johnschengensis shows a unique type of accessory facet joint differing from other reptiles, which is believed to reduce body undulation.”

“This discovery enhances our understanding of the variety of accessory facet joints in reptiles and underscores the high degree of spinal flexibility during the early evolution of sauropterygians.”

The team’s paper is published in the journal Communications Biology.

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W. Wang et al. 2025. The oldest long-necked sauropterygians, Lijangosaurus johnschengensis: Plasticity of vertebral evolution in sauropterygian marine reptiles. Communications Biology August 1551. doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-08911-1

Source: www.sci.news

New Research Uncovers How Reptiles Excrete Crystalline Waste in Large Quantities

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Both avian and non-avian reptiles eliminate excess nitrogen as solid compounds known as “urate,” an evolutionary trait that aids in water conservation. Despite this adaptation, numerous questions regarding the composition, structure, and assembly of these biological materials remain unresolved. In a recent study, researchers from Georgetown University, the International Diffraction Data Center, Chiricahua Desert Museum, and Georgia State University investigated uric acid excretion in the desert. They focused on the ball python (python) along with 20 other reptile species, aiming to uncover efficient and versatile mechanisms for processing both nitrogenous waste and salts.

Thornton et al. investigated the solid urine of over 20 reptile species. Image credit: Thornton et al., doi: 10.1021/jacs.5c10139.

“All living organisms possess some form of excretory system. After all, what enters must eventually exit,” says the chemist from Georgetown University, Jennifer Swift, along with her colleagues.

“In humans, we eliminate excess nitrogen primarily through urine in the forms of urea, uric acid, and ammonia.”

“Conversely, many reptiles and birds efficiently package these nitrogenous compounds into solids, specifically urates, which are excreted through their cloaca.”

Scientists theorize that this process may have evolved to aid in water conservation.

“While crystallizing waste fluids may provide an evolutionary benefit for reptiles, it poses significant challenges for humans,” the researchers noted.

“Excess uric acid in the human body can crystallize in the joints, leading to painful conditions like gout, or form kidney stones in the urinary tract.”

In this recent study, the authors examined urate from over 20 reptile species to understand how these animals safely eliminate crystalline waste.

“Our research stems from a curiosity about how reptiles safely process this substance, and we hope it could inform new approaches to disease prevention and treatment,” Dr. Swift commented.

Microscopic analyses revealed that three species—the ball python, Angora python, and Madagascar tree boa—produce urate consisting of microscopically textured microspheres ranging from 1 to 10 micrometers in diameter.

X-ray examinations indicated that these spheres are comprised of even smaller nanocrystals of uric acid and water.

Furthermore, scientists have found that uric acid plays a crucial role in transforming ammonia into a less harmful solid state.

They hypothesize that uric acid may serve a similar protective function in humans.

“Our investigation of urate produced by various squamate reptiles sheds light on the sophisticated and adaptable systems they employ for managing nitrogenous wastes and salts,” the researchers stated.

“Understanding how dietary habits, environmental conditions, and aging impact sample analysis—along with advancements in instrumentation—offers a more comprehensive insight into the structure and function of biological urates.”

“The specifics of where and how these microspheres are created remain an intriguing question, yet their presence across different uric acid globule species suggests that this low-energy process is optimized under similar selective pressures.”

“Recognizing the role of uric acid in ammonia management could have significant implications for human health, although clinical research is required to verify this hypothesis.”

For further information, refer to the findings published today in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

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Alyssa M. Thornton et al. Uric acid monohydrate nanocrystals: an adaptable platform for nitrogen and salinity management in reptiles. J. Am. Chemistry Society published online October 22, 2025. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5c10139

Source: www.sci.news

Crested Diapsid Reptiles from the Central Triassic Challenge Current Theories of Wing Evolution

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Paleontologists have identified a novel genus and species of Triassic derepanosauromorph diapsid showcasing remarkable appendages (not feathers or skin). This discovery is based on two exceptionally well-preserved skeletal structures and related specimens. Their research reveals that wings and hair-like extensions are not exclusive to birds and mammals.

Mirasaura Grabogeli In natural forest environments, insects are hunted. Image credit Gabriel Uguet.

Feathers and hair are intricate outer body appendages of vertebrates, serving essential functions such as insulation, sensory support, display, and facilitating flight.

The development of feathers and hair traces back to the ancestral lines of birds and mammals, respectively.

However, the genetic frameworks responsible for these appendages may have origins deeper within the amniotic lineage, encompassing various animal branches, including those of birds and mammals.

The Triassic reptile species outlined by Dr. Stephan Spiekman from the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart and his collaborators featured unique appendages that could reach up to 15.3 cm (6 inches) in length along their backs.

Named Mirasaura Grabogeli, this peculiar creature inhabited Europe approximately 247 million years ago.

The species exhibited a superficially bird-like skull but was classified within the Diapsid group known as Drepanosauromorpha.

Anatomy of Mirasaura Grabogeli. Image credit: Spiekman et al., doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09167-9.

Discovered in northeastern France in the 1930s, Mirasaura Grabogeli comprises 80 specimens featuring two well-preserved skeletal structures with isolated appendages and preserved soft tissues. Recent preparations have led to its identification.

“This enabled the connection between the summit and skeleton,” the paleontologist noted.

“The tissue preserved within the appendages contains melanosomes (pigment-producing cells located in skin, fur, and feathers), resembling those found in feathers more closely than in reptilian skin or mammalian hair, yet lacking the typical branching pattern of feathers.”

“These observations suggest that such complex appendages might have evolved among reptiles prior to the emergence of birds and their closest relatives, potentially offering new insights into the development of feathers and hair.”

Given the characteristics of the appendages observed in Mirasaura Grabogeli, we dismissed their roles in flight or camouflage, proposing instead a possible role in visual communication (signaling or predator deterrence).

The team’s research paper was published today in the journal Nature.

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SNF Spiekman et al. Triassic diapsids reveal early diversification of skin appendages in reptiles. Nature Published online on July 23, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09167-9

Source: www.sci.news

Majestic Triassic Reptiles Boasted Primitive Wings

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Illustration of the Triassic reptile Mirasaura grauvogeli

Rick Stikkelorum

Reptiles from the central Triassic boasted an elaborate coat of arms made of feather-like filaments, appearing over 100 million years before the first feathered dinosaurs.

The findings include two fossils and a total of 80 skeletons and crested fossils, uncovered between the 1930s and 1970s by a private collector named Louis Grovogel in the Vosges mountains of northeastern France.

It wasn’t until 2018 that Stephen Speakman from the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History and his team could examine the fossils.

They are now officially describing and naming it Mirasaura grauvogeli, with its impressive coat inspired by the Latin term for remarkable lizards.

Discovering such advanced skin structures in reptiles dating back 247 million years was quite unexpected, according to Spiekman.

“It is indeed a remarkably luxurious structure, larger than the entire body of the creature. The summit consisted of individual appendages that closely overlapped each other, resembling the feathers of a bird’s wing,” he notes.

While the appendages of M. grauvogeli share a feather-like appearance, they also exhibit significant distinctions. “In feathers, this differentiation occurs via a complex branching process that creates feather barbs, barbules, and hooks. However, such branching is absent in Mirasaura appendages,” Spiekman explains.

The most well-preserved specimen of M. grauvogeli measures less than 15 centimeters in length, although Spiekman suggests it is likely a juvenile based on certain skeletal features.

Fossils preserving the bony structure of Mirasaura grauvogeli

Stephen Speakman

One fossilized coat is three times the length of the best-preserved juvenile, suggesting that M. grauvogeli could grow substantially larger. Spiekman estimates adults might reach a size of 50 to 100 centimeters.

“The overall structure of Mirasaura indicates it was likely an agile climber, akin to a chameleon or a tree-dwelling mammal,” he explains.

John Long from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, who was not involved in the research, describes it as a “truly remarkable” prehistoric species.

“It illustrates that evolution was experimenting with creating wings using reptilian skin, albeit imperfectly,” says Long. “These grand decorations on its back would have served for signaling and visual interaction rather than flight.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Research: Triassic Reptiles May Have Migrated Across Unfavored Tropical Regions

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Paleontologists employing a novel method of geographic analysis have theorized about the dispersion of paleo-ausauromorphs following the Permian mass extinction, one of the most significant climate events in Earth’s history.

Benggwigingasuchus erimicarminis Pansarassan Ocean Coast. Image credit: Jorge Gonzalez.

The earliest pale aurauromorphs, akin to contemporary reptiles, are perceived by many synthetic biologists as existing in dead zones, believed to thrive only in select regions due to extreme heat prevalent in tropical zones.

In a recent study, paleontologist Joseph Flannery Sutherland from the University of Birmingham, along with his team, uncovered clues on how these reptiles traversed the globe during the Triassic period.

The researchers employed a novel modeling technique grounded in landscape reconstruction and evolutionary phylogenies.

Having survived the extinction event, Archosauromorphs became a crucial component of the Triassic Earth’s ecosystem, paving the way for the emergence of dinosaurs.

Current research indicates their later success can be attributed to their ability to traverse up to 16,000 km (10,000 miles) across tropical dead zones to explore new ecosystems.

“Despite being among the direst climatic events in Earth’s timeline, resulting in the death of more species than in any other epoch, life persisted,” remarked Dr. Flannery Sasherland.

“The group of Archosauromorphs emerged from this event and became key players in shaping life thereafter.”

“The gaps in their fossil records are beginning to reveal insights into aspects of these reptiles we previously overlooked.”

“By utilizing the modeling system, we created images representing the condition of Archosauromorphs amid these gaps and their dispersal across the ancient landscape.”

“This research examined topography and routes mapped through both spatial and temporal dimensions, which we have coined as our ‘Tardis’ approach.”

“Our findings suggest these reptiles exhibit remarkable resilience to the extreme climates of the Panguian tropical dead zone, enabling them to endure these harsh conditions and reach distant regions.”

“This capacity to thrive in inhospitable tropical environments likely gave them the edge necessary to prosper in the Triassic landscape.”

“While life has often been dictated by environmental factors, integrating the limited and uncertain knowledge of ancient terrains with the incomplete understanding of extinct species is challenging,” stated Professor Michael Benton from the University of Bristol.

“However, combining fossil data with reconstructed maps of the ancient world offers a means to address these challenges within the context of evolutionary trees.”

Study published in the journal Natural Ecology and Evolution.

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JT Flannery-Sutherland et al. The phylogeny, described as a landscape, illuminates the ecological radiation of early paleoasauromorph reptiles. Nat Ecol Evol Published online on June 11th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41559-025-02739-y

Source: www.sci.news

Identification of a newly discovered species of long-necked marine reptiles from the Triassic era in China.

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Paleontologists have identified a new genus and species of small dinophalosaurid archosauromorph from a fossilized skeleton found in China’s Yunnan province.

Holotype of Austronaga Minuta Most of the caudal vertebrae, which were found in looping in Yunnan Province, China, were found, and preserved in the skull, anterior cervical spine, and blocks. Image credit: Wang et al. , doi: 10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.231013.

Austronaga Minuta lived in the Thetis Sea during the Middle Triassic period around 244 million years ago.

This new species is an Archosauromorph, a member of a group that contains all forms more closely related to it (such as Crocodilians and dinosaurs, etc.) than Lepidosaurs.

Ancient reptiles are sister species Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, another amazing marine reptile from the Triassic period in central China.

“The Medium Triassic in southern China has produced a prominent marine vertebrate assembly that dramatically alters the understanding of the Tethys Sea and its coastline biota,” says Vertebrate paleontology and paleontology. A colleague and colleague at the institute said. National Geopark.

“The Triassic non-quadrilateral alxaulmorph group holds an important position in these findings.”

“They were traditionally called prototrosauria or prototrosaurs, but are now considered paraphrasing groups.”

“One species belonging to this group of reptiles, Dinocephalosaurus orientalis one of the most interesting reptiles discovered in recent years from the Triassic period in southern China,” they added.

“Its very elongated neck reminds me of a similar condition as seen in the ausauromorph, another aquatic creature. Tanistrophius. ”

“Both species have more than twice the necks as the trunk.”

“Yunnan’s new non-crocodile Archosauromorph shares many features Dinocephalosaurus And along with the latter, it can be distinguished from other long-necked Archosauromorphs. ”

“However, this new species also exhibits many different anatomical features. Dinocephalosaurus therefore, new genus and species have been proposed. ”

A small but mature skeletal specimen of Austronaga Minuta was recovered from the Guanling Formation in Waina village in Yunnan Province, southwestern China.

“The specimen is very compacted, but contains almost completely completely complete, with the anterior part of the skull joint with the skull, and most of the caudal tail of about 60.” The paleontologist said.

Their phylogenetic analysis shows that Austronaga Minuta With Dinocephalosaurus and Pektden It forms a clade representing the Dinocephalosauridae of the Archosauromorph family.

New marine reptiles probably had an aquatic or semi-aquatic lifestyle.

“The dentition Austronaga It's less specialized than that Tanistrophius and Dinocephalosaurus yet they have enlarged teeth like these species. This corresponds to the food possibilities of small aquatic animals, such as fish and cephalopods,” the researchers said.

“Other potential indicators for aquatic movement are Austronaga. ”

“The elaborate structure of the caudal neural spines and chevrons is only observed in Austronaga and Dinocephalosaurus Among these non-crocopodan alxaulmorphs. ”

“These structures of the tail are not essential for aquatic propulsion, taking into account the absence of other aquatic reptiles and even some aquatic lines.”

“Nevertheless, similar morphology converges in many aquatic reptiles: caudal neural spines like plates have been developed in basal fishy disease. Sclerocormus and Chaohusaurus. ”

“The T-shaped chevron is found in the mysterious Zauroptari horn Atopodentatus and with primitive placedonts Paraplacodos and Placodus. ”

“Therefore, we consider the morphology of the caudal vertebrae. Austronaga Suitable for aquatic or at least semi-aquatic animals. ”

Findings are reported in a paper In the journal Palasiatica spine.

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W. Wang et al. 2024. A small dinophalosaurid archosauromorph from the Triassic period in central Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Palasiatica spine 62(1):13-32; doi:10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.231013

Source: www.sci.news

New Discovery: Giant Pliosaur Skull Illuminates Ancient Sea Reptiles

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A giant Jurassic pliosaur skull pulled from a cliff in Dorset, England, is providing scientists with a wealth of new information about these sea reptiles. “This is very likely a new species,” says Judith Sassoon from the University of Bristol, UK.

This fossil is the subject of a new documentary, attenborough and the giant sea monster, which will premiere on BBC One on January 1st and air on PBS in the US in February. The skull is extremely well preserved, and CT scans show that the sensory holes in the nose (pictured above) were connected to blood vessels and nerves, allowing Pliosaurus to sense changes in pressure and move through murky water. It is revealed that it can hunt prey (photo below, CGI image from the documentary).

There is hope that the remaining fossils are still intact on the cliff. “There may be evidence in that skeleton of how it died,” said Steve Etches, who led the team that extracted and prepared the skull. Below, a still from the documentary shows Mr Etches having a nose exam with David Attenborough (left).

Sir David Attenborough and Steve Etches investigate Pliosaurus' fossilized nose

bbc studio

Surface scans of the specimen helped scientists estimate the strength of its bite. Emily Rayfield, a paleontologist at the University of Bristol, suggests that its bite would have been twice as powerful as that of a saltwater crocodile, one of the most powerful bites known. Evidence of trihedral teeth with two sharp cutting edges and striped grooves is shown below.

These grooves are thought to have stopped the vacuum that formed when the teeth plunged into prey, allowing Pliosaurus to bite repeatedly and quickly, further cementing its status as one of the most feared predators of its time. Masu. The skull is on display at the Etches Collection in Dorset, England.

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Source: www.newscientist.com