A snake with legs from the marine Cretaceous of the Middle East

Caldwell, Michael W.; Lee, Michael S. Y.

doi:10.1038/386705a0

Cited by 170 publications

(151 citation statements)

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“…4b). The new data, and the results of our analysis of snake phylogeny (see also Supplementary Figs 24 and 25), agree with previous ingroup analyses of fossil snakes 3,4,8,[26][27][28]31 that hypothesized that the most basal snakes are not the extant scolecophidians 7,32 . The new early snakes add to those hypotheses by extending the fossil record of snakes by 70 million years (Fig.…”

Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)supporting

confidence: 80%

“…The referred postcloacal vertebra of D. gilmorei (LACM 4684/120472) possesses a large transverse process that is directed laterally, not anteriorly as in modern snakes, and is more similar in size and orientation to postcloacal transverse processes of Najash. As this report extends the fossil record of snakes by B70 million years, it is likely that these early snakes shared with younger fossil snakes 4,7,8 the presence of at least rear limbs. However, we remain conservative on this point and have not coded this information for phylogenetic analysis ( Supplementary Information Section 3); presence or absence of forelimbs remains mere speculation as it cannot be verified by reference to current specimens.…”

Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is also possible that snakes forming these island assemblages arrived as secondarily aquatic invaders. Secondary invasions of marine environments certainly characterize the subsequent evolutionary histories of numerous clades of fossil and modern snakes [4][5][6]31 . In fact, there is no evidence to suggest that these radiation scenarios are mutually exclusive, and so it is possible that both Pangaean-derived vicariance and multiple adaptive radiations (marine and terrestrial) influenced the Jurassic radiation of snakes and the subsequent Gondwanan and Laurasian evolution of these animals through the Mesozoic and Cenozoic [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] .…”

Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1n-p). Subsequent snakes appear in rocks deposited in fluvial [1][2][3][8][9][10][11] and marine environments [4][5][6][7] , making the paleogeography and paleoecology of the earliest snakes into important reference points for later evolutionary radiations.…”

Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…T he previous understanding of the fossil record of early snake evolution (Late Mesozoic) relies on isolated vertebrae from Africa 1 (100 Myr ago), isolated jaws and vertebrae from North America 2,3 (98-65 Myr ago), a number of nearly complete snakes, some with rear limbs [4][5][6][7] , from the circum-Mediterranean region (98-95 Myr ago), and two taxa of relatively complete snakes, one with rear limbs, from Argentina (94-92 Myr ago 8,9 and 86-80 Myr ago 10,11 ). This morphologically, ecologically and phylogenetically diverse assemblage of snakes appears in the fossil record around the world almost simultaneously (B100-94 Myr ago).…”

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The oldest known snakes from the Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous provide insights on snake evolution

et al. 2015

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The previous oldest known fossil snakes date from B100 million year old sediments (Upper Cretaceous) and are both morphologically and phylogenetically diverse, indicating that snakes underwent a much earlier origin and adaptive radiation. We report here on snake fossils that extend the record backwards in time by an additional B70 million years (Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous). These ancient snakes share features with fossil and modern snakes (for example, recurved teeth with labial and lingual carinae, long toothed suborbital ramus of maxillae) and with lizards (for example, pronounced subdental shelf/gutter). The paleobiogeography of these early snakes is diverse and complex, suggesting that snakes had undergone habitat differentiation and geographic radiation by the mid-Jurassic. Phylogenetic analysis of squamates recovers these early snakes in a basal polytomy with other fossil and modern snakes, where Najash rionegrina is sister to this clade. Ingroup analysis finds them in a basal position to all other snakes including Najash.

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Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)supporting

confidence: 80%

Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (Figs 1a and 2a; Supplementary Figs 1 And 2a-e)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The oldest known snakes from the Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous provide insights on snake evolution

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Serpentes (Snakes)

Lee¹

2013

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Snakes are a diverse group of long‐bodied, limb‐reduced reptiles closely related to lizards; together they are termed squamate reptiles. Primitive snakes with vestigial legs appear in the fossil record of the Cretaceous period (∼90 Mya). Snakes have since been diversified rapidly, and now comprise ∼3500 species that occupy terrestrial, subterranean, aboreal and aquatic niches. All snakes are predators, having highly mobile skulls and jaws that can often swallow prey much larger than their own diameter. Primitive snakes such as boas, pythons and blindsnakes lack venom fangs. Such fangs have evolved repeatedly within more advanced snakes, called the Colubroidea, which make up ∼80% of the diversity of living snakes: front fangs in viperids (e.g. vipers and rattlesnakes), fixed front fangs in elapids (e.g. mambas and cobras) and rear fangs in many lineages of colubrids (e.g. boomslangs and twig snakes). Key Concepts: Snakes are just one of the many lineages of limb‐reduced lizards – though by far the most successful ones. Snakes have highly flexible (kinetic) skulls and lower jaws, and many forms can engulf prey wider than their heads. Snakes are one of the most rapidly diversifying groups, with more than 3000 living species, mostly belonging to the Colubroidea. Venom‐delivery systems (fangs and glands) have evolved multiple times within the most advanced snake lineage (Colubroidea). The fossil snakes Najash and Pachyrhachis (∼90 My old) retain prominent external hindlimbs, as would be expected given that snakes evolved from lizard‐like reptiles.

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Serpentes (Snakes)

Lee

Palci

2021

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Snakes are a diverse group of long‐bodied, limb‐reduced reptiles closely related to lizards; together they are termed squamate reptiles. Fragmentary snake fossils first appear in the Jurassic Period (∼167 million years ago (Ma)), with more complete fossil snakes, many with vestigial legs, appearing during the Cretaceous Period (∼90 Ma). Snakes have since diversified rapidly, and now comprise ∼3800 species that occupy terrestrial, subterranean, arboreal and aquatic niches. All snakes are predators, having highly mobile skulls and jaws that can often swallow prey much larger than their own diameter. Primitive snakes such as boas, pythons and blindsnakes lack venom fangs. Such fangs have evolved repeatedly within more advanced snakes, called the Colubroidea, which make up ∼80% of the diversity of living snakes: mobile front fangs in viperids (e.g. vipers and rattlesnakes) and atractaspidids (stiletto snakes), fixed front fangs in elapids (e.g. mambas and cobras), and rear fangs in many lineages of colubrids (e.g. boomslangs and twig snakes). Key Concepts Snakes are just one of the many lineages of limb‐reduced lizards – though by far the most successful lineage. Snakes have highly flexible (kinetic) skulls and lower jaws, and many forms can engulf prey much wider than their heads. Snakes are one of the most rapidly diversifying groups, with around 3800 living species, mostly belonging to the Colubroidea. Venom‐delivery systems (fangs and glands) have evolved multiple times within the most advanced snake lineage (Colubroidea). Primitive fossil snakes such as Najash, Eupodophis, Haasiophis, Pachyrhachis (∼90 Ma) retain prominent external hindlimbs, as would be expected given that snakes evolved from lizard‐like reptiles.

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A snake with legs from the marine Cretaceous of the Middle East

Cited by 170 publications

References 7 publications

The oldest known snakes from the Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous provide insights on snake evolution

The oldest known snakes from the Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous provide insights on snake evolution

Serpentes (Snakes)

Serpentes (Snakes)

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