Scientists have recently made an important discovery about the skin of Australian monitor lizards — goannas. To do that, they peeked under the scales of nearly 2,000 reptile specimens to describe a previously unnoticed layer of bony structures known as osteoderms. This discovery is a significant advancement in herpetology. It shows that the amount of goannas known to possess osteoderms has quintupled.
Osteoderms, or bony skin structures that form naturally in a variety of lizard species, have been an underappreciated area of research in science for years. Renowned researchers like Dr. Kaatz miscalculated the existence of these structures by as much as 85%. This oversight posed a major blind spot in our grasp of their contribution to lizard physiology and evolution. The research, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, used new state-of-the-art micro-CT scanning technology. It looked at specimens from a wide variety of museum collections, with some artifacts over 120 years old.
Dr. Jane Melville, a leading researcher in the field, who was not involved in this study, was excited about the ramifications of this finding.
“What’s so exciting about this finding is that it reshapes what we thought we knew about reptile evolution,” – Dr. Jane Melville.
Through the skin imaging method developed by these researchers, osteoderms were discovered in 29 species of Australo-Papuan monitor lizards that had never been previously reported. Even more exciting, this astounding find promises a new window into understanding how these lizards have evolved and endured in furnace-like landscapes.
Roy Ebel, one of the main authors of this study, recognized the importance of their findings, saying,
“It’s a fivefold increase in known cases among goannas.” – Roy Ebel.
Our study shows that osteoderms probably are a key factor that has allowed goannas to flourish on Australia’s harsh and diverse landscapes. The adaptations that these skin bones afford may be key to unraveling the survival secrets of reptiles living in harsh, arid climates.
Interestingly, osteoderms are present in almost 50% of all lizard species globally. The discovery of these structures in goannas challenges previous beliefs that osteoderms were rare and mostly confined to species like the Komodo dragon. This new perspective on the prevalence of osteoderms raises important questions about evolutionary adaptations and the environmental pressures faced by these reptiles.
