Oldest fossil chameleon found trapped in amber

A fossilized lizard found in SoutheastAsia preserved in amber dates back some 99 million years,Florida scientists have determined, making it the oldestspecimen of its kind and a "missing link" for reptileresearchers.

The lizard is some 75 million years older than the previousrecord holder, according to researchers at the Florida Museum ofNatural History, who announced the finding this week.

It was found decades ago in a mine along with other ancient,well-preserved reptile fossils, but the U.S. scientists were
able to analyze the finds only recently.

"It was incredibly exciting to see these animals for thefirst time," Edward Stanley, a member of the research team, saidon Saturday. "It was exciting and startling, actually, how wellthey were preserved."

Scientists believe the chameleon-like creature was an infantwhen it was trapped in a gush of sticky resin while darting
through a tropical forest in what is now Myanmar, in SoutheastAsia.

Gecko, arctic lizard

The creature's entire body, including its eyes and colourfulscales, is unusually well-preserved, Stanley said. The other
reptiles trapped in the amber, including a gecko and an arcticlizard, were also largely intact.

Small reptiles have delicate bodies and typicallydeteriorate quickly, he said. Being encased in solid amberhelped to lock the specimen together.

Stanley and other researchers used high-resolution digitalX-ray technology to examine the creatures and estimate the ageof the amber without breaking it.

The discovery will help researchers learn more about the"lost ecosystem, the lost world" to which the creatures
belonged, Stanley said, and it may help researchers learn moreabout the creatures' modern relatives.

"It's kind of a missing link," Stanley said.