Dinosaur-Era Lizard Tail Shedding Evidence Found in 99-Million-Year-Old Amber
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Researchers from Tel Aviv University have discovered direct evidence of tail shedding in lizards from 99 million years ago, during the dinosaur era. The finding, preserved in a small amber fossil from Myanmar, shows a distinct detachment point and tissue structure similar to modern lizards. Micro-CT scanning was used to analyze the specimen, confirming the tail was shed intentionally. The study, published in Palaeontologia Electronica, suggests this defense mechanism has existed for hundreds of millions of years.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A 99-million-year-old lizard tail fossil found in amber provides direct evidence of tail shedding during the dinosaur era.
- Tel Aviv University researchers identified the fossil, initially mistaken for a plant or insect part.
- Micro-CT scanning revealed a clean detachment point and tissue structure consistent with modern lizards' autotomy.
- The discovery suggests the tail-shedding defense mechanism has been used by lizards for hundreds of millions of years.
- The research was a collaboration between Tel Aviv University, the University of Athens, and the Volcani Institute.
A new study by Tel Aviv University has uncovered direct evidence of tail shedding in lizards dating back approximately 99 million years, during the age of dinosaurs. The discovery was made within an 18-millimeter piece of amber found in northern Myanmar.
Dolav Fabricant, a doctoral student at Tel Aviv University's School of Environmental Sciences, noticed the fossilized tail, initially mistaken for a twig or insect remnant. "What initially looked like a tiny branch covered in scales actually turned out to be a lizard's tail," Fabricant stated. His supervisor, the Dr. from the School of Zoology and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, described the find as a significant breakthrough, providing the first direct proof that ancient lizards could detach their tails, a defense mechanism previously only inferred from indirect evidence.
To examine the amber fossil, researchers utilized micro-CT scanning technology at the Volcani Institute, as its opacity hindered traditional microscopy. Dr. Ahmed Nasser, head of the Inter-Institutional Analytical Unit at Volcani, explained that the technique uses X-rays from multiple angles to create a 3D reconstruction, allowing detailed examination without damaging the specimen. The scan revealed a ring-like tissue structure at the tail's tip, consistent with modern lizards that shed their tails. The detachment point was symmetrical and clean, ruling out accidental injury.
The research, published in Palaeontologia Electronica, involved collaboration with the University of Athens and the Volcani Institute. Apostolos Christopoulos, a doctoral student at the University of Athens, noted that while the tail alone cannot definitively identify the lizard species, it may be related to modern-day geckos, legless lizards, or monitors. The exact circumstances of the tail shedding remain unknown; it's unclear if the lizard detached its tail to escape the amber or as a result of predation, with the tail later falling into the resin. The study confirms that this ancient survival mechanism has been utilized by lizards for hundreds of millions of years.
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