Where did snakes come from? It’s a question that’s puzzled researchers for years, and now they are even more confused. A new Jurassic fossil has been discovered and it's a curious mix of snake and lizard features. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

The creature was actually discovered in 2016 on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Named Breugnathair elgolensis, meaning “false snake of Elgol” in reference to the village of Elgol on Skye, where it was found, the specimen is only partial and has been reconstructed with a short body and limbs like a lizard, but snake-like jaws and curved teeth similar to a python . However, snakes and lizards are only distant relatives.

“Snakes are remarkable animals that evolved long, limbless b

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