| Retinosaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| (a) Photograph of the specimen in amber and (b-e)HRCT rendering of the integument | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Superfamily: | Scincoidea |
| Genus: | †Retinosaurus Čerňanský et al.,2022 |
| Species: | †R. hkamtiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Retinosaurus hkamtiensis Čerňanský et al., 2022 | |
Retinosaurus (meaning "amber lizard") is an extinct genus ofscincomorph lizard from theEarly Cretaceous ofMyanmar. The genus contains a single species,Retinosaurus hkamtiensis, known from a specimen preserved inamber.[1]
Theholotype specimen, GRS 29689, was legally obtained from a Myanmar gem dealer in 2019. It was subsequently announced in a preprint in October 2021,[2] and validlydescribed as a new genus and species of lizard by Čerňanský et al. in January 2022.[1]
The fossil was discovered in theHkamti amber site of Myanmar, which dates to the earlyAlbian, approximately 110 million years ago. The holotype, which represents a juvenile individual, includes a well-preservedarticulated skull, partialpostcrania, andskin impressions. In addition to the lizard fossil material, the amber also contains severalcoleopterans.[1]
Thegeneric name, "Retinosaurus", is derived from theGreek words "retine", referring to liquidresins created by trees, and "saurus", meaning "lizard". Thespecific name, "hkamtiensis", referencesHkamti, the type locality.[1]
In all but one of thephylogenetic analyses performed by Čerňanský et al. (2022),Retinosaurus was recovered as aPan-xantusiid. Most phylogenies resulted withRetinosaurus as asister taxon to a clade formed byTepexisaurus + Xantusiidae. Because the holotype represents an immature individual, the authors explain that any phylogenetic results should be treated with caution. Their results are displayed in thecladogram below:[1]
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