Scientists have named a new snake species, Paradoxophidion richardoweni, based on fossils discovered over 40 years ago at Hordle Cliff in England. The snake lived about 37 million years ago during a warmer Eocene period. This find offers insights into the early evolution of modern snake groups.
In 1981, researchers found a set of ancient snake backbones at Hordle Cliff on England's south coast. For decades, these remains sat in museum collections until a recent study identified them as belonging to a previously unknown species, Paradoxophidion richardoweni.
The research, published in the journal Comptes Rendus Palevol, describes the snake as an early branching member of caenophidians, the largest group of living snakes. Known only from tiny vertebrae, the fossils show a mix of traits now found in various modern snake groups, earning the genus name 'paradox snake' from Greek. The species honors Sir Richard Owen, who named early fossil snakes from the site and helped establish the Natural History Museum, where the specimens are housed.
Lead author Dr. Georgios Georgalis, from the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow, called the discovery a 'childhood dream come true.' "It was my childhood dream to be able to visit the Natural History Museum, let alone do research there," he said. "So, when I saw these very weird vertebrae in the collection and knew that they were something new, it was a fantastic feeling."
Co-author Dr. Marc Jones, a curator at the Natural History Museum, noted the Eocene climate: "Around 37 million years ago, England was much warmer than it is now. Though the Sun was very slightly dimmer, levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide were much higher."
Using CT scans, the team examined 31 vertebrae, creating 3D digital models shared online. The snake was likely under a metre long. Its vertebrae resemble those of acrochordids, or elephant trunk snakes, suggesting it might be the oldest known member of that aquatic family, though more evidence is needed.
Hordle Cliff has yielded fossils since the early 1800s, including the first named constrictor snake, Paleryx. Georgalis plans further studies on similar specimens to uncover more about snake evolution.