Affiliation:
1. James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University
Abstract
Abstract
Micropaleontology is the study of microscopic fossils such as coccoliths, foraminifera, diatoms, radiolaria, and pollens. These diminutive fossils range in size from 0.001 to 1 mm and are the most abundant and ancient of Earth’s fossils1. I now report the finding of a colony of tiny squamates ranging in size from 0.13 to 10.0 mm (snout-to-vent length) on a Cretaceous period trace fossil from Hamblen County, Tennessee. The dorsal (older) surface contains the remains of a miniscule saurian neonate (prop. M. hamblensis) and three juvenile saurians undergoing body elongation and limb reduction, findings in keeping with a lizard-to-snake transformation2. The ventral surface contains the remains of a colony of tiny snakes including 4 birthing rookeries with egg embryos. Also found is the feathered arm of a tiny bird-like therapod.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC
Reference21 articles.
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