Un estudio resuelve el misterio de la evolución de la armadura ósea de los reptiles

22 de mayo de 2026

Reportado por IA

Un nuevo análisis evolutivo ha demostrado que los huesos dérmicos en los reptiles se desarrollaron de forma independiente en múltiples linajes de lagartos en lugar de provenir de un antepasado común. Los investigadores rastrearon el rasgo a lo largo de 320 millones de años utilizando fósiles y métodos computacionales. Los goannas australianos destacan por haber perdido la armadura y haberla recuperado millones de años después.

El estudio, publicado en el Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, combinó datos de 643 especies vivas y extintas. Determinó que la mayoría de los lagartos adquirieron osteodermos por primera vez hace más de 100 millones de años, durante los períodos del Jurásico tardío y el Cretácico temprano. Es probable que estas estructuras óseas ayudaran a la supervivencia frente a los cambios climáticos y a los depredadores en la época de dinosaurios como el Brachiosaurus y el Stegosaurus.

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