Paleontologists Discover New Hibernating Snake Species in Wyoming
Paleontologists have discovered a completely new species of ancient snake that lived in what is now the state of Wyoming 38 million years ago. This unique species, named Hibernophis breithaupti, is notable for its ability to hibernate, similar to some modern mammals.
The fossil remains of four individuals of Hibernophis breithaupti were found clustered together in a hibernaculum — a small space where animals gathered to keep warm during the winter. This suggests that this species was social, which is unusual for reptiles.
«This is truly unusual for reptiles,» noted Michael Caldwell, a professor of paleontology at the University of Alberta and one of the study’s co-authors. «Out of nearly 15,000 species of reptiles living today, none of them hibernate the way garter snakes do.»
Research has shown that Hibernophis breithaupti, like modern garter snakes, gathered in groups to conserve heat during cold months, which likely helped them survive at the time.
Unfortunately, these reptiles perished in their den during a flood, and were then fossilized in volcanic ash. Their fossilized remains were preserved at a rare level of completeness, allowing researchers to study their anatomy in detail and learn more about the evolution of boas — the family of snakes to which Hibernophis breithaupti belongs, as well as modern Amazonian boas and bush pythons.
«We’re learning a little more about the evolution of boas in a broader sense,» Caldwell added. «It seems they likely started out as relatively small snakes, which is interesting.»
