Snakes have four legs – ElEspectador.com

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Recent discoveries pointed to the primitive snakes had two small tips without a specific function at the end of its elongated body

Now, in a study published Science , a team of scientists has discovered a new fossil in Brazil that has four legs and provides a clearer picture of how these reptiles evolved.

“The Tetrapodophis amplectus has a long body and a short tail, like a burrowing animal, “said Nicholas R. Longrich SINC, a researcher at the University of Bath (UK) and co-author, who emphasizes that the habitat of these snakes was first Earth

The fossil has similar characteristics to those who still have modern snakes. teeth, short snout, absence of eyelids and ear openings. “These features suggest that this species, and hence the origin of snakes, occurred in burrows,” explains Longrich

Through the analysis of DNA and morphological characteristics of the . Tetrapodophis amplectus in comparison with other species, the authors suggest that four-legged creature is an ancestor of today’s snakes.

“The new species moved crawling on his belly, like the rest their relatives, indicating that the legs were not used for walking but for catching prey or other copies to mate, “said the expert.

According to the study, the elongated flexible jaw and vertebrae structure, which gives it great flexibility, could have been used to catch large prey. In fact, in the belly of fossil remains have been found in other animals.

“The Tetrapodophis had a small animal in his stomach, perhaps a lizard or frog, which It shows that the first snakes were carnivorous and insectivorous not, as had been suggested. Were large predatory “says British researcher.