Biology:Psammophis odysseus

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Short description: Extinct species of snake

Psammophis odysseus
Temporal range: Late Miocene, 5.5 Ma
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Psammophiidae
Genus: Psammophis
Species:
P. odysseus
Binomial name
Psammophis odysseus
Georgalis and Szyndlar, 2022[1]

Psammophis odysseus is an extinct species of terrestrial snake belonging to the family Lamprophiidae.[1] It lived around 5.5 million years ago and was discovered in Salobreña, Spain by Georgios Georgalis. It is believed to have inhabited Africa and migrated to Eurasia.

Studies

The original fossils discovered of the species are held at Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, Spain . It was studied on by several scientists working on a project for the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Georgalis, Georgios L.; Szyndlar, Zbigniew (22 February 2022). "First occurrence of Psammophis (Serpentes) from Europe witnesses another Messinian herpetofaunal dispersal from Africa – biogeographic implications and a discussion of the vertebral morphology of psammophiid snakes". The Anatomical Record: ar.24892. doi:10.1002/ar.24892. 
  2. "Psammophis Odysseus: Greek Professor Names Prehistoric Snake "in Honour" Of Odysseus" (in en). Greek City Times. 17 March 2022. https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/03/17/greek-professor-prehistoric-snake/. 

Wikidata ☰ Q112047261 entry