Fossil reptile research published in 2026 includes peer-reviewed publications on discoveries related to reptile paleontology, as well as the description of new taxa.
Lepidosauromorphs Squamates NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityCountryNotesImagesAcutodonGen. et sp. novJansen et al.Late Cretaceous (Campanian)A anguimorph belonging to Pan-Shinisaurus. The type species is A. villeveyracensis.CarinasquamaGen. et sp. novValidDaza et al.CretaceousProbably Kachin amberA probable member of Pan-Gekkota. The type species is C. rusmithii.GaramaudoGen. et sp. novValidBardet et al.Late Cretaceous (Santonian)A mosasaur belonging to the subfamily Tethysaurinae. The type species is G. bauciensis.Halisaurus auriculatusSp. novValidShaker et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Dakhla FormationA mosasaur belonging to the subfamily Halisaurinae; a species of Halisaurus.LavergnesaurusGen. et sp. novValidČerňanský et al.Eocene (Bartonian)Phosphorites du QuercyA skink. The type species is L. lamarcki.PaleoteiusGen. et sp. novValidAgnolín et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Allen FormationA possible member of Scincomorpha. The type species is P. lakui.ParapalaeophisGen. et sp. novNatarajan & KlompmakerPaleocene (Danian)Porters Creek Formation()An aquatic snake with a combination of palaeophiid and nigerophiid morphological characters. The type species is P. jeffshawi.Pluridens imelakiSp. novLongirch & JalilLate Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Upper Couche IIIA mosasaur belonging to the subfamily Halisaurinae; a species of Pluridens.Prognathodon cipactliSp. novValidRivera-Sylva et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Méndez ShaleA mosasaur belonging to the subfamily Mosasaurinae; a species of Prognathodon.TametaraGen. et sp. novValidSimões et al.Late Cretaceous (Santonian to Campanian)Adamantina FormationAn early snake. The type species is T. mirim.ThoraxionGen. et sp. novValidSharpe et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Ciply-Malogne Phosphatic Chalk FormationA mosasaurine mosasaur. The type species is T. tahlequahae.Timon planeutesSp. novValidGeorgalis & ČerňanskýEocene–OligoceneQuercy Phosphorites FormationA member of the family Lacertidae; a species of Timon.Tylosaurus rexSp. novValidZietlow et al.Late Cretaceous (Campanian)Wolfe City Formation ()A mosasaur belonging to the subfamily Tylosaurinae; a species of Tylosaurus.Varanus varswaterSp. novValidMarchitelli et al.PlioceneVarswater FormationA monitor lizard.XenodontolacertaGen. et sp. novValidJiang et al.Late Cretaceous (Coniacian–Campanian)Hekou FormationA polyglyphanodontian. The type species is X. fangi
Squamate research Ebel, Melville & Keogh (2026) reconstruct the evolutionary history of squamate osteoderms on the basis of data from extant and extinct reptiles, reporting evidence of 13 independent acquisitions of osteoderms, the majority of which happened in the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Ait Haddou et al. (2026) report the discovery of lacertoid-type tracks (comparable to traces produced by modern lizards) from the Guettioua Formation (Morocco), representing the first record of such tracks from the Jurassic strata from Gondwana. Piñuela et al. (2026) report the discovery of lizard trackways from the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) strata of the Lastres Formation (Spain), interpreted as the latest occurrence of the ichnogenus Rhynchosauroides reported to date. Andrade-Silva & Francischini (2026) revise purported lacertoid tracks from the Lower Cretaceous strata from the Ouro Ichnosite (Botucatu Formation, Brazil), and argue that putative tracks cannot be confidently assigned to any ichnotaxon and might actually be substrate-related artifacts. New skink (the first fossil record of the group in Siwaliks) and agamid (including cf. Uromastyx sp.) fossil material is described from the Dunera locality (Punjab, India) by Singh et al. (2026), who interpret these findings as evidence of cold and drier climatic conditions during the Miocene. Stanley et al. (2026) study the phylogenetic relationships of Konkasaurus mahalana, and recover it as a member of the family Gerrhosauridae. New anatomical data on Funiusaurus luanchuanensis is provided by Dong et al. (2026). Redescription of the skull anatomy of Pleistocene amphisbaenians Amphisbaena braestrupi and Amphisbaena laurenti is published by Paiva, Costa & Hipsley (2026). Garcia-Escolà et al. (2026) study cranial bone stiffness of extant and extinct members of the genus Gallotia, reporting evidence of differences between species within this genus linked to differences in body size and diet. Evidence indicating that inner ear morphology is an accurate predictor of higher-order classification of extant and fossil toxicoferans is presented by Forcellati et al. (2026). Georgalis et al. (2026) report the discovery of fossil material of an indeterminate pleurodontan lizard from the Lutetian strata of the Uzunçarşıdere Formation (Turkey), providing evidence of Eocene dispersal of members of this group into Balkanatolia. The oldest glyptosaurid fossil material from Europe reported to date is described from the Paleocene strata of the Conglomérat de Cernay (France) by Georgalis & Mennecart (2026). Linares-Martín et al. (2026) report the first discovery of anguine (cf. Pseudopus sp.) fossil material from the Miocene strata from the Libros site (Teruel Basin; Spain). Xing et al. (2026) report evidence of a giant bone cell tumor within two digits of an anguimorph lizard specimen preserved within the Cretaceous Kachin amber (Myanmar). Rouault et al. (2026) study the variation of head shape and bite force in extant monitor lizards, and provide estimates of bite force of Varanus priscus. Redescription and a study on the affinities of Prognathodon waiparaensis is published by Young et al. (2026). Comans, Tobin & Totten (2026) reconstruct the thermoregulatory modes of Platecarpus and Tylosaurus from the Smoky Hill Chalk Member of the Niobrara Formation (Kansas, United States) on the basis stable oxygen isotope composition of tooth enamel, interpreted as consistent with endothermy. Zietlow, Everhart & Polcyn (2026) redescribe the holotypes of Tylosaurus proriger and T. nepaeolicus, and revise diagnoses of both species. Evidence from the study of tail morphology of Platecarpus tympaniticus, Tylosaurus proriger, Plotosaurus bennisoni and Mosasaurus sp., indicative of different lunge speed and possibly different hunting strategies of russellosaurine and mosasaurine mosasaurs, is presented by Formoso et al. (2026). Voiculescu-Holvad et al. (2026) revise mosasaur fossil material from the Maastrichtian strata from Denmark, reporting the first evidence of presence of Mosasaurus lemonnieri? in the studied assemblage, and providing evidence of presence of a diverse mosasaur assemblage that included taxa occupying several ecological guilds and maintained high ecological diversity until the final 50 000 years of the Cretaceous. Fossil material of representatives of two distinct taxa of late Paleocene snakes is described from the Cernay site (France) by Georgalis & Mennecart (2026). Datta & Bajpai (2026) report the discovery of new fossil material of constrictor snakes from the Ypresian strata of the Cambay Shale and from the Lutetian strata from Panandhro (India), possibly representing new taxa, and preserving evidence of differences of body size of snakes from the two sites which might be indicative of ecological and environmental differences. Liaw et al. (2026) report the discovery of a vertebra of a large-bodied python from the Pleistocene strata of the Chiting Formation (Taiwan). The first fossil remains of the European ratsnake reported from Crete (Greece) are described from the Pleistocene strata from the Rethymnon fissure by Lizak et al. (2026). Jansen et al. (2026) report the discovery of a new assemblage of squamate fossils from the Campanian strata of the Villeveyrac-Mèze basin (France), including the oldest European members of Pan-Shinisaurus, Madtsoiidae, Monstersauria and Iguanomorpha reported to date, and possibly the oldest known anguid worldwide. Lemierre, Wilenzik & Orliac (2026) describe fossils of members of two snake assemblages from the Eocene and Oligocene strata from the Dams locality (Quercy Phosphorites Formation, France), providing evidence of a complete species turnover between the two assemblages. A study on the composition of the middle Pleistocene snake assemblage from the Azykh Cave (Azerbaijan) is published by Ratnikov (2026). Keenan Early et al. (2026) report evidence from the study of remains of extant squamates and squamate fossils from Pleistocene and early Holocene localities in Nevada, New Mexico and Texas (United States) indicative of utility of zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry for taxonomic identification of squamate fossils.
Other lepidosauromorphs NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityCountryNotesImagesAiristagizGen. et sp. novValidSobral & SchochMiddle Triassic (Ladinian)Erfurt FormationA stem-lepidosaur. The type species is A. seegisi.ColoradosphenodonGen. et sp. novValidGaetano et al.Late Triassic (Norian)Los Colorados FormationA sphenodontian. The type species is C. lahni.HohlachiaGen. et sp. novValidSobral & SchochMiddle Triassic (Ladinian)Erfurt FormationA stem-lepidosaur. The type species is H. multidens.KlainjosauraGen. et sp. novValidSobral & SchochMiddle Triassic (Ladinian)Erfurt FormationA stem-lepidosaur. The type species is K. staroskalja.
Other lepidosauromorph research Damke et al. (2026) describe new fossil material of Cargninia enigmatica from the Norian strata of the Candelária Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence (Brazil), providing new information on the anatomy of the dentary and on the neuroanatomy of members of this species. Beccari & Rauhut (2026) report the first discovery of rhynchocephalian fossil material from the Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian) Cañadón Calcáreo Formation (Argentina). Haridy et al. (2026) describe new fossil material of Eilenodon robustus from the strata of the Morrison Formation from Utah and Wyoming (United States), and provide the first three-dimensional reconstructions of the skull anatomy of this taxon and the first detailed study of its tooth row histology. Cavasin, Cerda & Apesteguía (2026) study the histology of the beak-like structure in Priosphenodon avelasi, and report that the studied structure is not formed by teeth fused to the premaxillae, but instead it is entirely formed by bone tissue. Beccari et al. (2026) compare the anatomy of the axial skeleton of extant tuataras and their extinct relatives, and identify osteological features of significance in the studies of systematics and ecomorphology of extinct rhynchocephalians. Review of research from preceding years on the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of early lepidosaurs is published by Evans (2026).
Ichthyosauromorphs NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityCountryNotesImagesJabalisaurus tethyensisSp. novValidMaxwell, Neumann & SerafiniLate Jurassic (Tithonian)Altmühltal FormationAn ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur; a species of Jabalisaurus.
Ichthyosauromorph research A study on the anatomy of the ichthyopterygian specimen NSM-PV-20028 from the Lower Triassic Osawa Formation (Japan), assigned to cf. Utatsusaurus hataii, is published by Yoshizawa & Tsuihiji (2026). Evidence indicating that the relative size of the notochordal canal on vertebral centra can be used to study developmental stage of ichthyosaur fetuses is presented by Miedema & Maxwell (2026). A gravid specimen of Mixosaurus panxianensis preserved with remains of a least 11 fetuses is described from the Middle Triassic (Anisian) strata of the Guanling Formation (China) by Gu et al. (2026).