Fossil long known as world's oldest reptile dethroned
New X-ray scanning technology has revealed that the 345-million-year-old fossil Westlothiana lizziae is not the world's oldest reptile as previously believed. Researchers found that the internal anatomy of the fossil does not match the characteristics of early amniotes, forcing a reclassification of the species.
Why it matters
This discovery corrects a long-standing scientific consensus and demonstrates the power of modern imaging in paleontology.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Alexander Pol
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source The two slabs of NSM G.1990.72.1, the Westlothiana fossil studied in the new work. Credit: Roger Benson, posted with permission from National Museums Scotland For nearly 30 years, a small fossil from Scotland has been celebrated as one of the earliest known reptiles. A new study out today in Nature and led by researchers at the American Museum of Natural History and the University of Oxford, in collaboration with the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, is rewriting that story.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in