Rare skin fossil is oldest by 130 million years

The world’s oldest known fossilized skin belonged to a species of reptile that lived before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, a new study has found.

The world’s oldest known fossilized skin belonged to a species of reptile that lived before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, a new study has found. The fragment of fossilized reptile skin was found in a limestone cave in Oklahoma, United States, and is at least 130 million years older than the oldest previously known skin fossil. Researchers from the University of Toronto Mississauga identified a skin fragment with a pebbled surface which is similar to crocodile skin, according to a press release published Thursday. Dating from around 289 million years ago, it is the oldest known sample of a preserved epidermis, which is the outside layer of skin on terrestrial reptiles, birds and mammals. The epidermis “was an important evolutionary adaptation in the transition to life on land,” reads the release. “Every now and then we get an exceptional opportunity to glimpse back into deep time,” said first author Ethan Mooney, a paleontology graduate student at the University of Toronto, in the release. “These types of discoveries can really enrich our understanding and perception of these pioneering animals,” he added.