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Cryptovaranoides is not a squamate.

Michael W Caldwell1,2, Chase D Brownstein3,4, Dalton L Meyer5

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Elife
|December 23, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study re-evaluates the fossil †Cryptovaranoides microlanius, challenging its placement within the squamate crown clade. The findings emphasize careful fossil interpretation for accurate reptile evolution timelines.

Keywords:
Cryptovaranoidesarchosauromorphcrown groupevolutionary biologyreptilesquamate

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Area of Science:

  • Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Vertebrate Paleontology
  • Systematics and Phylogenetics

Background:

  • Accurate evolutionary timescales rely on integrating fossil data with molecular phylogenies.
  • The fossil †Cryptovaranoides microlanius was previously interpreted as a crown squamate, implying early reptile diversification.
  • This interpretation suggests significant 'ghost lineages' undetected by other methods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-examine the morphological character codings supporting the crown-squamate affinity of †Cryptovaranoides microlanius.
  • To address empirical problems with analyses that place this fossil within the squamate crown clade.
  • To emphasize the importance of rigorous fossil hypodigm construction for evolutionary timescale calibration.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological re-analysis of †Cryptovaranoides microlanius.
  • Critical evaluation of character codings used in previous phylogenetic analyses.
  • Comparative analysis with other Triassic reptiles and squamates.

Main Results:

  • The study challenges the morphological evidence used to support the crown-squamate placement of †Cryptovaranoides microlanius.
  • Empirical problems are identified in analyses that uphold this interpretation.
  • The affinities of †Cryptovaranoides microlanius to extant reptiles are shown to be unclear.

Conclusions:

  • The placement of †Cryptovaranoides microlanius deep within the squamate crown clade is not supported by the re-evaluation.
  • The study highlights potential inaccuracies in current reptile diversification timelines based on this fossil.
  • Stringent construction of fossil hypodigms is crucial for reliable calibration of the Tree of Life.