242-million-year-old reptile the oldest ancestor of lizards, snakes and tuatara
newatlas.com
A tiny skull found on a beach in Devon has rewritten the early history of lizards, snakes and the tuatara, the last survivor of an ancient reptile lineage found only in New Zealand today. The new species dates back 242 million years, making it the earliest known lepidosaur.
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The original was posted on /r/science by /u/chrisdh79 on 2025-09-15 23:18:39+00:00.

Original Title: 242-million-year-old reptile the oldest ancestor of lizards, snakes and tuatara | The tuatara Sphenodon punctatus from New Zealand is the sole surviving member of Rhynchocephalia order, once a diverse branch of lepidosaurs