Feb 11, 2025, 06:42 PM IST
A team of paleontologists, led by Prof. Michael Caldwell, discovered 140-167 million-year-old fossils of four ancient legged snakes in Canada.
The four species- Eophis underwoodi, Portugalophis lignites, Diablophis gilmorei and Parviraptor estesi-date between 140 and 167 million years ago (mya). One of them, about 4-feet would have been capable of eating dinosaurs.
These ancient snake fossils are a staggering 70 million years older than any previously discovered snake fossils.
Eophis underwoodi- World’s oldest known snake who lived during the Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic about 167 mya. Its remains were recovered from Kirtlington Cement Works Quarry in Oxfordshire, England.
Portugalophis lignites- Lived 157-152 mya and its fossils were found in Portuguese coal deposits near Guimarota.
Diablophis gilmorei- Diablophis gilmorei, a North American species, lived 155 mya, was discovered in western Colorado's river deposits, dating back to the Upper Jurassic period.
Parviraptor estesi- fossils were discovered in England's Durlston Bay, dating back to the Early Cretaceous period, around 145-140 mya.
Prof. Caldwell explained that snakes evolved towards their modern elongated, limb reducing shape between 167-100 mya, with some ancient marine snakes still having small rear limbs.
New evidence suggests that snakes developed their unique skull features before losing their legs, challenging previous assumptions about snake evolution.