Exquisitely Preserved Fossil Snakes of Messel: Insight into the Evolution, Biogeography, Habitat Preferences and Sensory Ecology of Early Boas

A groundbreaking analysis of exquisitely preserved fossil snakes from the Messel Pit (Germany) reveals that early boas, including Eoconstrictor fischeri, exhibited infrared-sensitive pit organs, challenging assumptions about their ecological roles. Phylogenetic and morphological assessments confirm a South America-to-Europe dispersal event for Eoconstrictor and highlight its affinity with Neotropical boas while demonstrating the cosmopolitan nature of Messel's early Eocene booid fauna. The study suggests that these snakes occupied diverse terrestrial habitats, mirroring modern booid size- and habitat-preference patterns.

Scanferla, A., & Smith, K. T. (2020). Exquisitely Preserved Fossil Snakes of Messel: Insight into the Evolution, Biogeography, Habitat Preferences and Sensory Ecology of Early Boas. Diversity, 12(3), 100. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12030100