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href="https://www.sci.news/author/delazaro">Enrico de Lazaro</a> </div> </div> <div class="single-pagi"> <div class="prev-nav"> <a href="https://www.sci.news/biology/nectar-foraging-ethiopian-wolves-13443.html">« Previous </a></div> | <div class="next-nav"> <a href="https://www.sci.news/paleontology/nipponopterus-mifunensis-13453.html">Next »</a></div> <div class="cb"></div> </div> <div class="cb"></div> </div> </header> <section> <div id="single-heading-content">  <div class="single-right"> <article id="post-101899" class="post-101899 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-featurednews category-paleontology tag-africa tag-amphisbaenia tag-diet tag-djebel-chambi-national-park tag-eocene tag-lizard tag-reptile tag-snail tag-squamata tag-squamate tag-terastiodontosaurus tag-terastiodontosaurus-marcelosanchezi tag-trogonophidae tag-tunisia tag-worm-lizard"> <div class="entry-content"> <p><strong>Paleontologists have described a new genus and species of trogonophid amphisbaenian (worm lizard) from fossilized specimens found in Tunisia.</strong></p> <div id="attachment_101900" style="width: 590px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cdn.sci.news/images/enlarge12/image_13448e-Terastiodontosaurus-marcelosanchezi.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-101900" class="wp-image-101900 size-full" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2024/11/image_13448-Terastiodontosaurus-marcelosanchezi.jpg" alt="Life reconstruction of Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi ready to prey on a large snail of the family Bulimulidae. Image credit: Jaime Chirinos." width="580" height="400" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2024/11/image_13448-Terastiodontosaurus-marcelosanchezi.jpg 580w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2024/11/image_13448-Terastiodontosaurus-marcelosanchezi-300x207.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-101900" class="wp-caption-text">Life reconstruction of <em>Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</em> ready to prey on a large snail of the family Bulimulidae. Image credit: Jaime Chirinos.</p></div> <p><em>Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</em> lived in what is now Africa during the Eocene epoch, some 47 million years ago.</p> <p>The new species belongs to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trogonophidae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trogonophidae</a>, a small family of limbless, carnivorous, lizard-like reptiles within the clade <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/obl4he/vertebratediversity/amphisbaenia.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amphisbaenia</a>.</p> <p>“Amphisbaenians are a charismatic group of fossorial squamates, with bizarre morphological features and extreme anatomical modifications,” said lead author Dr. Georgios Georgalis from the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals at the Polish Academy of Sciences and his colleagues.</p> <p>“In particular, their unique skeletal anatomy has attracted and puzzled researchers since the 19th century.”</p> <p>“Before the advent and broad acceptance of phylogenetic systematics, amphisbaenians were considered to be the third major group of Squamata, together with Serpentes and the paraphyletic ‘Lacertilia’.”</p> <p>“Recent phylogenetic analyses, however, have placed them as the sister group of lacertid lizards, a topology that has been supported by both molecular and combined morphological and molecular evidence: a name, Lacertibaenia, was even proposed for the clade Amphisbaenia + Lacertidae.”</p> <p>“Amphisbaenians have a relatively rich fossil record across the Cenozoic of Europe and North America, coupled with a few Neogene and Quaternary occurrences from South America, a few Palaeogene, Neogene, and Quaternary occurrences from Africa, a very few Neogene occurrences from the Arabian Peninsula, and a very few occurrences from the Neogene of southwestern Asia.”</p> <p>“Trogonophidae are a rather distinctive group of amphisbaenians that are today distributed in northern and north-central Africa (including Socotra Island, Yemen) and the Middle East,” they added.</p> <p>“Four living genera are currently recognized, i.e. <em>Agamodon</em>, <em>Diplometopon</em>, <em>Pachycalamus</em>, and the type genus, <em>Trogonophis</em>.”</p> <p>The most distinctive feature of trogonophids is their acrodont dentition, a feature that, within squamates, is otherwise present solely in the iguanian group Acrodonta.”</p> <p>“Trogonophids also possess other unique features among amphisbaenians, including locomotion and burrowing patterns, shoulder girdle or hemipenial morphology, chromosomes, vertebral arrangement, the absence of caudal autotomy, and a triangular body in cross-section.”</p> <p>Several specimens of <em>Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</em> were found at a fossil-bearing locality in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambi_National_Park" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Natural Park of Djebel Chambi</a> in Tunisia.</p> <p>“The Djebel Chambi National Park is situated in the Kasserine area, in the Central Western part of Tunisia,” the paleontologists said.</p> <p>“The material of this study comes from a fossil-bearing site (Chambi locus 1), which consists of fluvio-lacustrine deposits situated at the base of the continental sequence of Chambi.”</p> <p>“These localities have yielded a diverse assemblage of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates, including ﬁshes, amphibians, turtles, crocodiles, squamates, birds, and mammals, such as bats, primates, eulipotyphlans, hyaenodonts, hyracoids, an elephant shrew, a marsupial, a rodent, and a sirenian.”</p> <p><em>Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</em> was over 90 cm (35 inches) in length, making it the largest known amphisbaenian to ever live.</p> <p>“Amongst extant amphisbaenians, <a href="https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Amphisbaena&species=alba" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Amphisbaena alba</em></a> is the largest species, reaching a maximum total length of 81 cm (32 inches) and a skull length of over 3.1 cm (1.2 inches),” the researchers said.</p> <p>Practically all living amphisbaenians represent burrowing animals, which appear only rarely on the surface, outside their subsurface environments.</p> <p>Nevertheless, certain features in <em>Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</em> seem to contradict this natural history pattern and suggest instead that the ancient species was likely to be a surface dweller.</p> <p>This is further supported by the extreme size of <em>Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</em>, which would render subsurface habits as less likely.</p> <p>“<em>Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</em> represents a substantial contribution to the so far poorly known African fossil record of Amphisbaenia, representing only the fifth named extinct species from the continent,” the scientists concluded.</p> <p>“Moreover, the new material from Chambi adds further to the extremely poor fossil record of Trogonophidae.”</p> <p>The new species is described in a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/202/3/zlae133/7906359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paper</a> published this week in the <em>Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society</em>.</p> <p><span style="color: #808080;">_____</span></p> <p><span style="color: #808080;">Georgios L. Georgalis <em>et al</em>. 2024. The world’s largest worm lizard: a new giant trogonophid (Squamata: Amphisbaenia) with extreme dental adaptations from the Eocene of Chambi, Tunisia. <em>Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society</em> 202 (3): zlae133; doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae133</span></p> </div> </article> </div> <div class="single-left"> <div class="postedby"> Published in </div> <div class="single-category"><ul class="post-categories"> <li><a href="https://www.sci.news/news/featurednews" >Featured</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sci.news/news/paleontology" >Paleontology</a></li></ul></div> <div class="postedby2"> <div class="postedby"> Tagged as </div></div> <div class="single-tags"> <a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/africa" rel="tag">Africa</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/amphisbaenia" rel="tag">Amphisbaenia</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/diet" rel="tag">Diet</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/djebel-chambi-national-park" rel="tag">Djebel Chambi National Park</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/eocene" rel="tag">Eocene</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/lizard" rel="tag">Lizard</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/reptile" rel="tag">Reptile</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/snail" rel="tag">Snail</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/squamata" rel="tag">Squamata</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/squamate" rel="tag">Squamate</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/terastiodontosaurus" rel="tag">Terastiodontosaurus</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/terastiodontosaurus-marcelosanchezi" rel="tag">Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/trogonophidae" rel="tag">Trogonophidae</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/tunisia" rel="tag">Tunisia</a><a href="https://www.sci.news/tag/worm-lizard" rel="tag">Worm lizard</a></div> <div class="postedby3"></div> <div class="postedby3"></div> <div class="single-related"> <div class="postedby">You Might Like </div> <div class="related"> <div class="relatedpost"> <a href="https://www.sci.news/biology/polar-bear-denning-13706.html"><img width="104" height="75" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13706f-Polar-Bears-104x75.jpg" class="attachment-secondpostimg size-secondpostimg wp-post-image" alt="Archer et al. reveal the first detailed look at polar bear cubs emerging from their dens. 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The disk of the planet features yellow, orange, blue and green patches, all with an overall muted grey hue, representing the varying composition of the surface. Image credit: ESA / DLR / FU Berlin / G. Michael / CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO." loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13699f-Mars-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13699f-Mars-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" /></a></div> <div class="block-image-r"> <h2><a href='https://www.sci.news/space/mars-color-13699.html' title='Water-Rich Iron Mineral May Be Main Culprit behind Mars’ Red Color'>Water-Rich Iron Mineral May Be Main Culprit behind Mars’ Red Color</a></h2><span class="block-meta">Feb 25, 2025 | Planetary Science</span> </div> </div> <div class="block-item-small"> <div class="block-image"><a href="https://www.sci.news/astronomy/solar-system-radcliffe-wave-passage-miocene-epoch-13698.html" title="Our Solar System Crossed ‘Radcliffe Wave’ during Miocene Epoch, Astronomers Say"><img width="50" height="50" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2020/01/image_7995f-Radcliffe-Wave-50x50.jpg" class="attachment-sidebar-thumb size-sidebar-thumb wp-post-image" alt="Visualization of the Radcliffe Wave. Image credit: Alyssa Goodman / Harvard University." loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2020/01/image_7995f-Radcliffe-Wave-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2020/01/image_7995f-Radcliffe-Wave-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" /></a></div> <div class="block-image-r"> <h2><a href='https://www.sci.news/astronomy/solar-system-radcliffe-wave-passage-miocene-epoch-13698.html' title='Our Solar System Crossed ‘Radcliffe Wave’ during Miocene Epoch, Astronomers Say'>Our Solar System Crossed ‘Radcliffe Wave’ during Miocene Epoch, Astronomers Say</a></h2><span class="block-meta">Feb 25, 2025 | Astronomy</span> </div> </div> <div class="block-item-small"> <div class="block-image"><a href="https://www.sci.news/space/early-mars-beaches-13697.html" title="Early Mars Was Home to Sun-Soaked, Sandy Beaches, New Study Suggests"><img width="50" height="50" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13697f-Zhurong-50x50.jpg" class="attachment-sidebar-thumb size-sidebar-thumb wp-post-image" alt="A panoramic photo taken by China’s Zhurong rover on Mars. 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Image credit: ABelov / CC BY 3.0." loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13695f-Lithostrotian-Titanosaurs-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13695f-Lithostrotian-Titanosaurs-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" /></a></div> <div class="block-image-r"> <h2><a href='https://www.sci.news/paleontology/uriash-kadici-13695.html' title='Large-Bodied Sauropod Dinosaur Lived on Cretaceous European Island'>Large-Bodied Sauropod Dinosaur Lived on Cretaceous European Island</a></h2><span class="block-meta">Feb 24, 2025 | Paleontology</span> </div> </div> <div class="block-item-small"> <div class="block-image"><a href="https://www.sci.news/biology/palaeognath-birds-technical-innovation-13694.html" title="Palaeognath Birds are Capable of Technical Innovation, Study Shows"><img width="50" height="50" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13694-Palaeognaths-50x50.jpg" class="attachment-sidebar-thumb size-sidebar-thumb wp-post-image" alt="Palaeognath birds. Image credit: Bernard Dupont / Kore / Kadellar / Frank Vincentz / Rohit / Manuel Anastácio / CC BY-SA 4.0." loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13694-Palaeognaths-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13694-Palaeognaths-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" /></a></div> <div class="block-image-r"> <h2><a href='https://www.sci.news/biology/palaeognath-birds-technical-innovation-13694.html' title='Palaeognath Birds are Capable of Technical Innovation, Study Shows'>Palaeognath Birds are Capable of Technical Innovation, Study Shows</a></h2><span class="block-meta">Feb 24, 2025 | Biology</span> </div> </div> <div class="block-item-small"> <div class="block-image"><a href="https://www.sci.news/physics/proton-force-map-13693.html" title="Physicists Map Out Forces Acting inside Proton"><img width="50" height="50" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13693-Proton-Map-50x50.jpg" class="attachment-sidebar-thumb size-sidebar-thumb wp-post-image" alt="Distribution of the color-Lorentz force acting on an unpolarized up quark in the transverse plane (indicated by the vector field) superimposed on the up quark density distribution in impact-parameter space for an unpolarized proton. 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Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / R. Sankrit." loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13691-Veil-Nebula-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13691-Veil-Nebula-300x295.jpg 300w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13691-Veil-Nebula-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13691-Veil-Nebula.jpg 580w" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" /></a></div> <div class="block-image-r"> <h2><a href='https://www.sci.news/astronomy/hubble-veil-nebula-13691.html' title='Hubble Space Telescope Explores Colorful Veil Nebula'>Hubble Space Telescope Explores Colorful Veil Nebula</a></h2><span class="block-meta">Feb 24, 2025 | Astronomy</span> </div> </div> <div class="block-item-small"> <div class="block-image"><a href="https://www.sci.news/paleontology/xingxiulong-yueorum-13690.html" title="Paleontologists Discover New Species of Sauropodomorph Dinosaur"><img width="50" height="50" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13690-Xingxiulong-yueorum-50x50.jpg" class="attachment-sidebar-thumb size-sidebar-thumb wp-post-image" alt="The fossilized skeleton of Xingxiulong yueorum. Image credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences." loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13690-Xingxiulong-yueorum-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13690-Xingxiulong-yueorum-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" /></a></div> <div class="block-image-r"> <h2><a href='https://www.sci.news/paleontology/xingxiulong-yueorum-13690.html' title='Paleontologists Discover New Species of Sauropodomorph Dinosaur'>Paleontologists Discover New Species of Sauropodomorph Dinosaur</a></h2><span class="block-meta">Feb 21, 2025 | Paleontology</span> </div> </div> <div class="block-item-small"> <div class="block-image"><a href="https://www.sci.news/biology/litoria-eungellensis-13689.html" title="New Species of Tree Frog Discovered in Australia"><img width="50" height="50" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2025/02/image_13689-Litoria-revelata-50x50.jpg" class="attachment-sidebar-thumb size-sidebar-thumb wp-post-image" alt="The whirring tree frog (Litoria revelata). 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The picture shows a Neanderthal man. Image credit: Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London." loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2019/07/image_7374f-Neanderthal-50x50.jpg 50w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2019/07/image_7374f-Neanderthal-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" /></a></div> <div class="block-image-r"> <h2><a href='https://www.sci.news/othersciences/anthropology/neanderthal-bottleneck-event-13688.html' title='New Study Suggests That There Was Late Bottleneck Event in Neanderthal Evolution'>New Study Suggests That There Was Late Bottleneck Event in Neanderthal Evolution</a></h2><span class="block-meta">Feb 20, 2025 | Anatomy</span> </div> </div> <div class="block-item-small"> <div class="block-image"><a href="https://www.sci.news/astronomy/supernova-virus-evolution-13687.html" title="Ionizing Radiation from Nearby Supernova Altered Virus Evolution 2.5 Million Years Ago"><img width="50" height="50" src="https://cdn.sci.news/images/2023/04/image_11849f-X-Ray-Supernova-50x50.jpg" class="attachment-sidebar-thumb size-sidebar-thumb wp-post-image" alt="Illustration of an Earth-like exoplanet after X-ray radiation exposure. 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