Burma: Fossilized lizard is clue to ‘lost ecosystem’

A fossilized lizard found preserved in amber in Southeast Asia dates back 99 million years, scientists have determined, making it the oldest specimen of its kind and a “missing link” for reptile researchers.

The lizard is 75 million years older than the previous record holder, according to researchers at the Florida Museum of Natural History, who announced the finding in March 2016.

It was found decades ago in a mine along with other ancient, well-preserved reptile fossils, but the scientists were able to analyze the finds only recently.

“It was incredibly exciting to see these animals for the first time,” said Edward Stanley, a member of the research team. “It was exciting and startling, actually, how well they were preserved.”

Scientists believe the chameleonlike creature was an infant when it was trapped in a gush of sticky resin while darting through a tropical forest in what is now Burma.

Small reptiles have delicate bodies and typically deteriorate quickly, he said. Being encased in solid amber helped to protect the specimen.

Stanley and other researchers used high-resolution digital X-ray technology to examine the creatures and estimate the age of the amber without breaking it.

The discovery will help researchers learn more about the “lost ecosystem, the lost world” to which the creatures belonged, Stanley said, and it may help researchers learn more about the creatures’ modern relatives.

“It’s kind of a missing link,” Stanley said.  Reuters