An international team of researchers has described a new species of ancient reptile, Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi, which is considered the largest known member of the Trogonophidae family.
As Day.Az reports, this worm-like lizard lived in the territory of modern North Africa during the Eocene era, about 47 million years ago. The work was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (JVP).
Paleontologists discovered fossils that included a skull and part of the spine, which allowed the species to be classified as a separate genus. Its size and skull structure indicate that the species is adapted to hunting large invertebrates, such as, for example, snails of the family Bulimulidae.
“The discovery of Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi makes a significant contribution to the still little-known history of African amphisbaenian fossils. It is only the fifth recorded extinct species from the African continent,” said study co-author Georgios Georgalis.
The new species not only adds a new element to the understanding of trogonopid evolution, but also demonstrates the amazing diversity of Eocene reptiles.