Rare 83-Million-Year-Old Fossil Reveals Europe's Oldest Shinisaur

A rare fossil discovered in Southern France has revealed a new species of ancient shinisaur. Named Acutodon villeveyracensis, the creature lived around 83 million years ago. This find reshapes what scientists know about these lizard-like reptiles in Europe. The fossil includes a 2.8-centimetre jaw lined with hooked teeth and a skull measuring over a metre long. Researchers believe this shinisaur fed mainly on fish, salamanders, and frogs. Its sharp, curved teeth suggest a diet of slippery prey.

Shinisaurs are descendants of crocodile lizards, though their evolutionary history remains patchy. Until now, the oldest European shinisaurs dated back only 50 million years. This discovery pushes their presence in Europe back by 30 million years, making France home to the earliest known specimens. Today, shinisaurs survive only in parts of China and Vietnam. However, habitat loss, climate change, and illegal poaching threaten their survival. The new fossil offers clues about their deep past while highlighting the fragility of their future.

The Acutodon villeveyracensis fossil provides the first solid evidence of shinisaurs in Europe during the Late Cretaceous period. It also extends their known timeline by millions of years. Scientists will now study how these reptiles spread and evolved across continents.