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Abstract
Scincidae is one of the most species-rich and cosmopolitan clades of squamate reptiles. Abundant disarticulated fossil material has also been attributed to this group, however, no complete pre-Cenozoic crown-scincid specimens have been found. A specimen in Burmite (99 MYA) is the first fossil that can be unambiguously referred to this clade. Our analyses place it as nested within extant skinks, supported by the presence of compound osteoderms formed by articulated small ostedermites. The specimen has a combination of dorsal and ventral compound osteoderms and overlapping cycloid scales that is limited to skinks. We propose that this type of osteoderm evolved as a response to an increased overlap of scales, and to reduced stiffness of the dermal armour. Compound osteoderms could be a key innovation that facilitated diversification in this megadiverse family.
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1 Sam Houston State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Huntsville, USA (GRID:grid.263046.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 2291 1903)
2 University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, USA (GRID:grid.15276.37) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8091)
3 University of Michigan–Dearborn, Dearborn, USA (GRID:grid.266717.3) (ISNI:0000 0001 2154 7652)
4 Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, Houston, USA (GRID:grid.487588.e) (ISNI:0000 0001 1091 8833)
5 University of Florida, Department of Biology, Gainesville, USA (GRID:grid.15276.37) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 8091)
6 CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones, and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Genética Evolutiva, Instituto de Biología Subtropical, Posadas, Argentina (GRID:grid.501791.b) (ISNI:0000 0004 7744 2122)
7 University Malaya, Jabatan Geologi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (GRID:grid.10347.31) (ISNI:0000 0001 2308 5949)
8 Peretti Museum Foundation, Meggen, Switzerland (GRID:grid.10347.31)
9 Peretti Museum Foundation, Meggen, Switzerland (GRID:grid.10347.31); University of Yangon, Myanmar Geosciences Society, Department of Geology, Yangon, Myanmar (GRID:grid.440502.7) (ISNI:0000 0001 1118 1335)
10 Villanova University, Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova, USA (GRID:grid.267871.d) (ISNI:0000 0001 0381 6134)