34-Million-Year-Old Snake Discovered in Wyoming Changes Our Understanding of Evolution

Fossilized skeleton of newly discovered snake species Hibernovis brethauptiThis research, conducted 38 million years ago in what is now western Wyoming, reveals insights into the evolution and social behavior of its descendants. Image credit: Jasmine Krogan

Ancient snakes have been discovered, shedding light on the continent’s reptilian past.

Newly discovered fossil snake Class In Wyoming, this discovery is changing our understanding of snake evolution. The species was excavated from a burrow where four well-preserved specimens were found intertwined, and has been named Hibernovis brethauptiThese creatures lived in North America 34 million years ago. The discovery provides valuable insights into the origins and diversity of giant snakes and pythons.

Hibernovis brethaupti This snake has unique anatomical features, in part because the specimens are articulated—meaning they were found all in one piece with the bones arranged in the correct order—which is unusual for fossil snakes. Researchers believe it may be an early member of Booidea, a group that includes modern snakes and terrestrial snakes. Modern snakes are widespread across the Americas, but their early evolution is poorly understood. These new, complete fossils add important new information, in particular, about the evolution of small, burrowing snakes known as rubber snakes.

Behavioral Insights and Historical Significance

Traditionally, there has been much debate about the evolution of small burrowing snakes. Hibernovis brethaupti This research shows that the northern and more central parts of North America may have been a major center of evolution for these snakes. The discovery of these snakes coiled together also suggests the earliest possible evidence of a behavior we are familiar with today – hibernating in groups.

“Modern garter snakes are known to hibernate in their burrows and burrows by the thousands,” says Michael Caldwell, a paleontologist at the University of Arizona who co-led the research with former graduate student Jasmine Krogan and colleagues from Australia and Brazil. “They do this to conserve heat through the hibernation ball effect. It’s interesting to see possible evidence of such social behavior or hibernation dating back 34 million years.”

Reference: “Morphology and Taxonomy of a New Fossil Snake from the Early White River Formation (Oligocene), Wyoming” by Jasmine A. Krogan, Alessandro Balchi, Silvio Onari, Michael S. Y. Lee, and Michael W. Caldwell, June 19, 2024, Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society.
DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae073