Oldest found reptile skin pre-dates the dinosaurs

A tiny shred of reptile skin that was ‘pickled’ in oil 289 million years ago is the oldest ever found for a group of animals collectively known as amniotes, which includes reptiles, birds and mammals. Researchers were able to cut through the fossilized skin and examine a cross-section, in which distinct layers of epidermis and dermis were visible. It’s rare for soft, delicate skin to be preserved in the fossil record. This piece probably belonged to a small, lizard-like animal known as Captorhinus aguti.