Paleontologists have discovered the oldest reptile skin, dating back 289 million years
In Richards Spur Cave, located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, scientists have made a unique discovery: a fragment of fossilized reptile skin.
This was reported by the publication Indian Defence Review.
The artifact is estimated to be 289 million years old, making it the oldest known sample of soft tissue from a terrestrial vertebrate.
The discovered fragment is tiny, no larger than a human fingernail, and is exceptionally thin.
Despite this, microscopic analysis allowed researchers to clearly distinguish the structure of the scales and specific folds on the skin’s surface.
A remarkable fact is that the structure of this ancient skin shares common features with the skin of modern crocodiles.
This indicates the extraordinary stability of certain evolutionary adaptations that have persisted over hundreds of millions of years of life on the planet.
“Soft tissue fossils are extremely rare. Unlike bones or teeth, skin rapidly decomposes after an organism’s death,” the study’s authors emphasize in an article in the Indian Defence Review.
The unique conditions of the cave environment where the sediment was deposited played a key role in preserving the specimen. It was saturated with natural petroleum-based hydrocarbons, which created an airtight protective layer around the organic remains.
This natural preservation limited oxygen and water access to the tissues, effectively halting the decay process.
An additional factor was the cave’s specific microclimate, with low oxygen levels in its recesses and niches.
Analysis showed that early reptiles already had well-developed water-resistant scales that helped retain moisture in the body. It was this feature that allowed vertebrates to finally break away from the aquatic environment and successfully colonize the land.
Lead author Ethan D. Mooney of the University of Toronto noted that the arrangement of the scales indicates a combination of flexibility and protection.
This confirms the presence of advanced adaptations to terrestrial life in creatures of that time.
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