Palaeontologists from Poland and Canada have put forward fresh insight into the ancient biodiversity of Europe during the late Eocene period after unveiling the discovery of new fossils from salamanders, frogs, and lizards dating back 37 million years.
According to the researchers, the fossils found in an abandoned phosphorite mine in La Bouffie, southern France, provide a detailed snapshot of the region’s tropical climate and diverse herpetofauna from a time when Europe’s ecosystems were far different than they are today.
The findings, detailed in the Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, include relatives of modern-day venomous lizards, such as the Gila Monster, as well as extinct, heavily armored lizards.
The discovery also includes new species of iguanas and African bull frogs, as well as various extinct reptilian groups like glyptosaurs and palaeovaranids, which were distant relatives of present-day monitor lizards like the Komodo dragon.
"Phosphorite mines in the Quercy region have been yielding rich animal fossil finds since the late 19th century. The site is known primarily for its highly diverse mammalian fauna, which even included marsupials and primates. Other animal groups were previously poorly researched. Now, together with Alfred Lemierre from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Canada, we have examined amphibian and reptile fossils, describing numerous new specimens," said Dr. Georgios Georgalis from the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków.
The fossils come from a variety of reptilian and amphibian groups, including some exotic species that no longer have relatives in Europe. "At La Bouffie, we found relatives of the Gila Monster, at least four different species of iguana, relatives of the African bull frogs, and a number of completely extinct groups of reptiles, such as glyptosaurs and palaeovaranids. All this diversity created a fascinating mosaic of herpetofauna in the European jungles of 37 million years ago," Georgalis said.
Of particular interest are two new species of lizards that had previously been unknown to science.
Cadurcopanoplos is a new species from the glyptosaurid family, known for its heavily armored body. Its name, meaning "fully armoured lizard from the Cadurci" in Greek, refers to the people who once inhabited the Quercy region during Roman times.
The fossil evidence shows that this large lizard was fully covered in thick armor and osteoderms, offering it protection similar to that of medieval knights.
"Cadurcopanoplos had a different head osteoderm anatomy from other glyptosaurids known in Europe," Georgalis said. Glyptosaurs, including Cadurcopanoplos, eventually went extinct at the end of the Eocene, likely due to climate cooling and deteriorating weather patterns that affected Europe's fauna.
The second new species, Phosphoriguana, is a small iguana whose name refers to the phosphorite mine where its fossil was discovered.
"Phosphoriguana was a relatively small iguana that differed from other iguanas in its dentition and the anatomy of its lower jaw," Georgalis said.
The research was conducted under a grant funded by the Polish National Science Centre. The results were published in the open access journal Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, w otwartym dostępie. (PAP)
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