Fossil and interpretive drawing of Opisthiamimus gregori

Photo (top) and interpretive drawing (bottom) of the skull and skeleton of Opisthiamimus gregori, a new extinct species of lizard-like reptile from the Late Jurassic of Wyoming, U.S.

A team of scientists describe the new species, which once lived alongside dinosaurs like Stegosaurus and Allosaurus, in a paper published today in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. In life, this prehistoric reptile would have been about 16 centimeters (about 6 inches) from nose to tail—and would fit curled up in the palm of an adult human hand—and likely survived on a diet of insects and other invertebrates.

SI-268-2022