A new species of primitive reptile, named Marmoretta drescherae, was identified from fossils unearthed in Portugal dating back 150 million years ago, according to a recent study published in the open-access scientific journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. The discovery was made in a study led by paleontologist Alexandre Guillaume from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL) and the Museu da Lourinhã.
Guillaume conducted the research as part of his PhD at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of UNL. Along with his team, he analyzed isolated fragments of jaws, skulls, limbs, and vertebrae—including 150 fossils stored in the Geological Museum of Lisbon. According to Expresso, these fossils were originally found in the Guimarota mine in Leiria, "one of the richest deposits of microfossils from the Upper Jurassic."
The research aimed to re-evaluate fossils described in the 1970s and 1990s by paleontologists from the Free University of Berlin in Germany. Guillaume, who studies the small herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) of the Upper Jurassic of Portugal, sought to shed new light on the diversity of ancient reptiles that once inhabited the region.
Marmoretta drescherae belongs to the genus Marmoretta, which "represents the primitive branch of the evolutionary tree of modern lizards," according to Público. Until now, only one species within this genus had been identified: Marmoretta oxoniensis. The identification of this new species expands the known diversity within the genus and provides valuable insights into the early evolution of lizards.
Guillaume emphasized that Marmoretta drescherae is "not a direct ancestor of current lizards, but rather a primitive representative of a lineage that became extinct at the end of the Jurassic," as reported by SAPO. He added that the "discovery reinforces the hypothesis that, at the end of the Jurassic, North America, Europe, and Northwest Africa shared similar faunas, while also suggesting local ecological differences."
In addition to identifying Marmoretta drescherae, the study confirmed the presence of a small semi-aquatic reptile belonging to the genus Cteniogenys in the Jurassic fauna of Portugal. "However, we could not determine whether it is a different species from those already described in other regions," Guillaume stated, according to Correio da Manhã.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.