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Cryptovaranoides Temporal range: 202 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ Late Triassic (Rhaetian)
Reconstruction of skull (top) and life restoration (bottom)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Genus:	†Cryptovaranoides Whiteside, Chambi-Trowell & Benton, 2022
Species:	†C. microlanius
Binomial name
†Cryptovaranoides microlanius Whiteside, Chambi-Trowell & Benton, 2022

Cryptovaranoides ("hidden lizard-like animal") is an extinct genus of reptile from the Late Triassic Magnesian Conglomerate of England. It contains a single species, Cryptovaranoides microlanius.

Discovery and naming

It is represented by a holotype partial skeleton as well as referred isolated bones from Rhaetian-aged fissure fill-deposits in Slickstones Quarry, near Tortworth, Gloucestershire preserved alongside the common fossil rhynchocephalian Clevosaurus. The type specimen had been collected in 1953, but was only described as a distinct taxon in 2022.

Classification

When first described, Cryptovaranoides was interpreted as a crown group squamate belonging to the clade Anguimorpha, based on features of the skull architecture, braincase, dentition and postcranium. Since fossils of crown-squamates otherwise are known only from the Middle Jurassic onwards, Cryptovaranoides would push back the estimated origin of modern squamates by 35 million years, implying that the radiation of modern squamate lineages occurred much earlier than previously assumed. A 2023 study by Brownstein and colleagues reanalysed the type material, and rejected the hypothesis that Cryptovaranoides was a crown-squamate. In their unconstrained phylogenetic analysis, Cryptovaranoides was instead placed within Archosauromorpha as a relative of Allokotosauria. Even when Cryptovaranoides was constrained as a member of Squamata, it was recovered well outside the crown group. However, the original describers of Cryptovaranoides maintained their original conclusion that this taxon represents a squamate.

References

1. ^ Whiteside, D. I.; Chambi-Trowell, S. A. V.; Benton, M. J. (2022). "A Triassic crown squamate". Science Advances. 8 (48): eabq8274. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abq8274. hdl:1983/a3c7a019-cfe6-4eb3-9ac0-d50c61c5319e. ISSN 2375-2548.
2. Bristol, University of. "December: Lizard discovery | News and features | University of Bristol". www.bristol.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
3. "Gloucestershire fossil suggests modern lizards could have Triassic origins". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
4. Brownstein, C. D.; Simões, T. R.; Caldwell, M. W.; Lee, M. S. Y.; Meyer, D. L.; Scarpetta, S. G. (2023). "The affinities of the Late Triassic Cryptovaranoides and the age of crown squamates". Royal Society Open Science. 10 (10). doi:10.1098/rsos.230968. PMC 10565374.
5. Whiteside, D. I.; Chambi-Trowell, S. A. V.; Benton, M. J. (2024). "Late Triassic †Cryptovaranoides microlanius is a squamate, not an archosauromorph". Royal Society Open Science. 11 (11). 231874. doi:10.1098/rsos.231874. PMC 11597406.

v t e Sauropsida (Reptilia sensu lato)
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Superclass: Tetrapoda Clade: Amniota Tetrapodomorpha see Tetrapodomorpha Reptiliomorpha see Reptiliomorpha Sauropsida see below↓
Sauropsida Sauropsida †Australothyris †Erpetonyx †Microleter †Acleistorhinidae Acleistorhinus Carbonodraco Colobomycter Delorhynchus Feeserpeton Karutia Klastomycter †Bolosauridae Belebey Bolosaurus Eudibamus †Mesosauria Brazilosaurus Mesosaurus Stereosternum †Millerettidae Broomia Heleophilus Milleretta Millerosaurus Milleropsis Nanomilleretta †Procolophonia see Procolophonia Diapsida see below↓
Diapsida Diapsida †Adelosaurus? †Claudiosaurus †Cryptovaranoides †Dolerosaurus †Elachistosuchus †Eunotosaurus? †Feralisaurus †Heleosuchus †Kenyasaurus †Kudnu †Lanthanolania †Maiothisavros †Microzemiotes †Orovenator †Palacrodon †Palaeagama †Saurosternon †Sphodrosaurus †Younginidae Galesphyrus Thadeosaurus Youngina †Tangasauridae Acerosodontosaurus? Hovasaurus Tangasaurus †Weigeltisauridae Coelurosauravus Glaurung Rautiania Weigeltisaurus †Drepanosauromorpha Ancistronychus Avicranium Dolabrosaurus Drepanosaurus Hypuronector Kyrgyzsaurus Longisquama? Megalancosaurus Protoavis? Skybalonyx Unguinychus Vallesaurus †Kuehneosauridae Icarosaurus Idiosaura? Kuehneosaurus Kuehneosuchus Pamelina Rhabdopelix? †Choristodera see Choristodera †Ichthyosauromorpha see Ichthyosauromorpha †Sauropterygia see Sauropterygia †Thalattosauria see Thalattosauria Sauria (Crown-Reptilia) Lepidosauromorpha see Lepidosauromorpha Includes Lepidosauria includes rhynchocephalians and squamates Archelosauria Archosauromorpha see Archosauromorpha Includes Archosauria includes birds and crocodilians Pantestudines see Pantestudines Includes Testudines turtles
See also Possible sauropsids Araeoscelidia Captorhinidae Protorothyrididae Recumbirostra Varanopidae Other taxa Anapsida Captorhinida Eureptilia Parareptilia Lanthanosuchoidea Millerosauria Procolophonomorpha Ankyramorpha Neodiapsida Eosuchia Younginiformes Avicephala Eolacertilia Euryapsida
Category

• Diapsids
• Prehistoric reptile genera
• Rhaetian genera
• Late Triassic reptiles of Europe
• Triassic England
• Taxa named by Michael Benton
• Fossil taxa described in 2022