New Monster-Lizard Fossil Reveals Cretaceous Biodiversity
Paleontologists have unearthed a new species of large lizard from the Late Cretaceous period, offering fresh insight into the prehistoric ecosystems of North America. This discovery, of the Bolg amondol, expands our understanding of the ancient monstersaurs, a group of imposing reptiles.
Unveiling Bolg amondol
Fossilized remains of Bolg amondol, a previously unknown lizard species, have been recovered from the Kaiparowits Formation in southern Utah. The creature existed about 72 million years ago. Hank Woolley, a paleontologist, and his colleagues believe this find is significant for understanding the monstersaurs.
New fossilized specimens of monstersaurs — including a previously unknown genus and species, Bolg amondol — from the Kaiparowits Formation of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah reveal unexpected richness of these large-bodied lizards in Late Cretaceous North America. pic.twitter.com/K4k4rE30fO
“The Monstersauria are characterized by their large size and distinctive features like pitted, polygonal armor attached to their skulls and sharp, spire-like teeth,”
—Hank Woolley, Paleontologist
The Bolg amondol, with an estimated length of nearly 1 meter, may have been comparable in size to a modern Savannah monitor lizard. According to the National Park Service, the Gila monster, a close relative, is currently listed as a species of “least concern,” with an estimated population of 1,000 to 2,000 in Arizona.
Significance of the Find
The collection from 2005 included fragments of the skull, vertebrae, limbs, and the bony armor of Bolg amondol. Randy Irmis, a University of Utah paleontologist, emphasizes the significance of natural history museum collections.
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The discovery highlights the potential for more fossil finds, especially the existence of various large lizard species in the Late Cretaceous epoch. The Bolg amondol also demonstrates biogeographical patterns across terrestrial vertebrates in that era.
