SYDNEY, July 21 (Xinhua) — An Australian-led study has uncovered hidden bony structures beneath the scales of Australia’s iconic monitor lizards, shedding new light on reptile adaptation and evolution.
The research represents the first large-scale global analysis of the “chainmail,” known as osteoderms, in lizards and snakes, according to a statement from Australia’s Museums Victoria on Monday.
Using advanced micro-CT scanning, researchers from Australia, Europe, and the United States examined nearly 2,000 reptile specimens, some over 120 years old, said the study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society in London.
The study discovered osteoderms in 29 previously undocumented Australo-Papuan monitor lizard species, marking a fivefold increase in known cases, said the study’s lead author Roy Ebel from Museums Victoria Research Institute and the Australian National University.
Osteoderms, familiar in crocodiles, armadillos and some dinosaurs, but rare in lizards, are now known to occur in nearly half of all lizard species, an 85 percent increase over previous estimates, suggesting roles beyond protection, including heat regulation, mobility and calcium storage, researchers said.
The discovery was made possible by museum collections, where non-invasive scans of specimens revealed hidden evolutionary discoveries, the study showed.
The findings raise new questions about how monitor lizards adapted to Australia’s challenging landscapes, with researchers suggesting osteoderms evolved as a response to these environmental pressures. ■