University of Helsinki Reconstructs 75-Million-Year-Old Snake Brain, Revealing Early Burrowing Evolution
Updated
Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 25
University of Helsinki Reconstructs 75-Million-Year-Old Snake Brain, Revealing Early Burrowing Evolution
1 articles · Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 25
Summary
High-resolution CT scans let University of Helsinki researchers digitally rebuild Tametara mirim’s brain, cranial nerves and inner ear from one of the best-preserved snake fossils known.
The 75- to 85-million-year-old Cretaceous specimen’s unusually intact skull made the reconstruction possible, combining anatomical imaging with comparative data from living snakes.
Brain shape and skull-bone microstructure indicate the species lived a burrowing lifestyle, while other evidence suggests it occupied multiple ground-dwelling habitats rather than a single niche.
Researchers said the fossil supports the idea that early snakes were already diversifying sensory and ecological strategies, not simply evolving toward one modern form.
The work could sharpen studies of other well-preserved fossils by helping scientists infer prehistoric animals’ behavior, diet and hunting patterns from preserved brain anatomy.