CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -The long-tailed creature – about 25cm in length – is thought to have lived around 202m years ago It has been named Cryptovaranoides microlanius. The first term means hidden lizard-like animal, referring to its time spent unrecognised and its likely concealment in rock crevices during its life.

Detailed explanation-2: -Sphenodontians were creeping around during the Mid to Late Triassic, and are thought to have possibly emerged even earlier than that, some 259 million years ago during the Late Permian, and held on for a while. Now only the tuatara is left.

Detailed explanation-3: -The most complete Jurassic fossil lizard ever found has been discovered in Scotland. The new specimen of Bellairsia gracilis is helping to reveal what the ancestors of lizards and snakes would have looked like. A tiny Scottish fossil is having a big impact on our understanding of lizards.

Detailed explanation-4: -A series of footprints from the fossil strata of Nova Scotia, dated to 315 million years, show typical reptilian toes and imprints of scales. The tracks are attributed to Hylonomus, the oldest unquestionable reptile known.