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Paleontologists found a tiny fossilized snake, the first of its kind to be discovered
The snake embryo, sitting in a piece of Myanmar amber, was preserved early in the late Cretaceous about 99 million years ago. , according to research published in Science Advances on Wednesday.
This is a new species that was named Xiaophis myanmarensis by the 11 authors the first Mesozoic snake to be found in a wooded environment, which according to the authors of the study indicates greater ecological diversity in early snakes than previously thought.
(left) the skeleton of the snake in amber. (in the middle) a dorsal view of the skeleton, synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography image. (right) a ventral view of the skeleton
The single serpent fossil, according to the report, is an articulated post-cranial skeleton (anything but the skull) and is only 47.5 millimeters long.
A look at the vertebrae of the snake indicates similarities with those of the fossil snakes of Gondwana, the former supercontinent that broke up about 180 million years ago. National Geographic has placed the snake as possibly related to a group of modern snakes found in Southeast Asia
<img clbad = "" data-credit-name = "science advances" data-credit -provider = "custom type" data-caption = "Individual vertebrae are extremely small, comparable in size and morphology to those of a neonate Asian pipe snake." title = "Individual vertebrae are extremely small, comparable in size and morphology to those of a neonate Asian pipe snake." src = "https://i.amz.mshcdn.com/_NLuhEqu5kdKAf4-GPT54aSV6Lw=/fit-in/1200×9600/https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage% 2F813665% 2F055a728b-d852-444e-841b-dec56b221a13.jpg "alt =" The individual vertebrae are extremely small, of similar size and morphology as those of a newborn Asian snake.] The Vertebrae Individuals are extremely small, of a size and morphology comparable to those of a newborn Asian pipe snake.
A second specimen found in Myanmar by the same team includes a fragment preserved skin lost.
This skin was not confirmed by the researchers as coming from a snake, but compared to modern specimens, the scales-like marks look quite similar to those in the past. a snake
Photographs of the likely snake skin casting.
The tiny serpent fossil is incredibly good. preserved to be aged about 99 million years.
Every fossil that has come to light like this brings us closer to what creatures have slipped on Earth and where smartphones and Snapchat have never looked.
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