Overview

• The comprehensive study published July 20 in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society is the first global survey of osteoderms across lizards and snakes.
• Roy Ebel and colleagues applied micro-CT imaging to almost 2,000 reptile specimens from major museums, uncovering osteoderms in 29 Australo-Papuan monitor species previously thought to lack them.
• These findings revise the estimated prevalence of osteoderms to nearly 50% of all lizard species, marking an 85% increase over prior estimates.
• Researchers are now exploring how osteoderms function in protection, heat regulation, mobility and reproductive calcium storage within diverse environments.
• The study underscores the value of century-old natural history collections and advanced imaging techniques in reshaping our understanding of reptile evolution.