Fossil Snake Facts
Some people find snakes fascinating. Others put as much space in between themselves and these legless creatures as possible. It is widely believed that snakes evolved from the reptiles. Fossil evidence not only supports this belief, but shows that some of the ancient snakes were much larger than today's versions.
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First Appearance
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There is fossil evidence, thanks to a find in the Saharan Desert in Africa, that the earliest snakes appeared about 130 million years ago during the early Cretaceous period. This fossil was given the name Lapparentophis defrenni. Though incomplete, the fossil's vertebrae were consistent with that found in today's snakes.
Reptiles
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Most paleontologists agree that reptiles evolved from Labrynthodonts. The biggest evolutionary gain was the advent of the shelled egg, or amniote. This meant that the reptiles could lay their eggs on land and not have to return to the water to breed like their amphibian ancestors.
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Dinosaurs and Lizards
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Scientists base their conclusion that snakes most likely evolved from lizards while the dinosaurs still roamed the earth on fossil finds and a study of the anatomy of today's reptiles. One anatomical feature that snakes and lizards have in common is the lack of a quadratojugal bone, a type of jawbone, at the base of their skulls.
The Burrowing Theory
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One theory of snake evolution is the burrowing theory. One group of monitor-like lizards began to spend most of its time underground, digging burrows and hunting for prey as it tunneled. Over millions of years, these lizards lost their legs, and the snakes came into existence.
The Water Theory
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Another theory is that the leg loss came about because the reptilian ancestor had an aquatic, or at least semi-aquatic lifestyle and the more streamlined body allowed for easier movement through water or wet marshes. Either way, the discovery of a snake fossil in Lebanon sporting two tiny front legs supports the fact that snakes did evolve from a creature with legs.
Crocodile Eater
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The largest snake fossil ever found came from Columbia, South America. As reported by CBC News in 2009, the snake was roughly 13 meters (42 feet) long and weighed over 1,135 kilograms (2500 pounds). This is considerably larger than today's largest snake, the reticulated python, which can reach a length of 9 meters (30 feet). It was found alongside crocodile and giant turtle fossils, suggesting both of these animals were on the menu.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Olivier
