France Fossil Pushes Back Pan-Shinisaur Origins to 83 Million Years Ago
Paleontologists describe a new genus and species of pan-shinisaur lizard, Acutodon villeveyracensis, from a 2.8 cm upper jaw found in Villeveyrac, France, dating to about 83 million years ago (Campanian). This is the oldest pan-shinisaur in Europe, pushing the lineage’s European presence back roughly 30 million years and prompting questions about its paleobiogeography. The fossil suggests a predator over 1 meter long, with teeth and jaw features linking it to living crocodile lizards (Shinisauria). The living relative, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, is endangered in China and Vietnam, highlighting the long and precarious history of this group. The study appears in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, online May 20, 2026.