Vellberg Jaw (IMAGE) University College London Caption The fossilised remains of a reptile closely related to lizards are the oldest yet to be discovered. Two new fossil jaws discovered in Vellberg, Germany provide the first direct evidence that the ancestors of lizards, snakes and tuatara (known collectively as lepidosaurs), were alive during the Middle Triassic period -- around 240 million years ago. The new fossil finds predate all other lepidosaur records by 12 million years. The findings are published in BMC Evolutionary Biology. Credit Marc Jones Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.