First baby snake preserved in amber

The remains of an embryonic/neonate snake encased in amber, dated to around 99 million years old, have been unearthed in Kachin province in north-eastern Myanmar. The specimen – a new species since named Xiaophis myanmarensis – was 4.75 centimetres (1.8 inches) long and missing its skull; it’s estimated that the creature’s full length would have been nearer to 8 centimetres (3.1 inches). The first-of-its-kind discovery was reported in the journal Science Advances on 18 July 2018.

The study was a collaboration between palaeontologists from the China University of Geosciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Paleo-diary Museum of Natural History and the Beijing Forestry University (all China); the University of Alberta, Royal Saskatchewan Museum and University of Regina (all Canada); Flinders University and the South Australian Museum (both Australia); and Midwestern University (USA). The study was led by Dr Lida Xing of the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China and Dr Michael Caldwell of the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Owing to its small size, the Late Cretaceous snake was originally thought to be a centipede or millipede. However, closer inspection with advanced X-ray scans revealed 97 tiny vertebrae, confirming its identity as an immature snake.

The new species was named after Mrs Xiao Jia, who originally acquired the piece of amber and donated it to the collection of the Dexu Institute of Palaentology in Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, China.