Oldest Modern Lizard Fossil Confirmed in UK

A fossilized lizard, Cryptovaranoides microlanius, discovered in a quarry near Bristol, has been confirmed as the world's oldest modern-type lizard after recent analyses. This 205-million-year-old fossil, first described by University of Bristol researchers in 2022, pushed the origin of modern lizards back by 35 million years. Despite skepticism suggesting it might be an archosauromorph, the Bristol team reaffirmed its classification as a lizard related to modern anguimorphs through comprehensive re-examination using advanced X-ray and CT scans. The findings, published in Royal Society Open Science, support the lizard's placement within the Squamata group, which includes monitor lizards and snakes. The specimen's skull and sharp teeth indicate it was a carnivorous predator during the Triassic period. This discovery challenges and expands the understanding of lizard evolution.