A multinational team of paleontologists from Tunisia, Germany, France and Poland uncovered a new fossil species belonging to the worm-like reptile lineage. This specimen proved to be the largest known member of its group, a surprising catch that expands the size range of amphisbaenians. The fossils were found in central Tunisia, tucked into sediment layers that record life in an evergreen past. The team documented the discovery through a formal scientific report, a testament to international collaboration and the ongoing exploration of Africa’s fossil record.
Members of the worm-like lizard family are known as amphisbaenians. They resemble slender worms in shape, with a body designed for flexibility. Their form allows them to twist and coil so they can push forward or back through tight subterranean passages. In the modern world, most amphisbaenians lead subterranean lives, rarely surfacing as they hunt invertebrates beneath the soil. The Tunisian find demonstrates that early relatives of this group could attain sizes not common today, suggesting a wider ecological role for these reptiles during the Eocene epoch.
The discovered animal has been named Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi. The skull and jaws indicate powerful biting forces capable of gnawing through snail shells, implying a diet that included shelled prey. Dated to the Eocene, roughly fifty million years ago, the creature inhabited landscapes that were warmer and more dynamic than those of the present, with forests and coastlines reshaping predator–prey interactions and driving reptile evolution.
Visually, the creature evokes the sandworms from Frank Herbert’s Dune, a striking image that helps readers picture its bulk and movement. Detailed examination of the teeth and the exceptionally thick enamel suggests jaw muscles capable of delivering strong bites, enabling the animal to process tough prey. The combination of form and function in this fossil provides not only a glimpse of appearance but also a window into feeding mechanics and ecological strategy in an ancient ecosystem.
Researchers propose that Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi was probably too large to burrow and most likely spent much of its life on the surface. Its limb proportions and elongated body hint at a life of slow, deliberate travel across open ground, perhaps in search of shelter, prey, or mates under a warm, bright sky. This behavior marks a departure from typical worm-like lizards, which today predominantly exploit subterranean niches for safety and sustenance.
If the worm-like lineage ever reached snake-sized scale, the new species could be regarded as a distant relative of Titanoboa, the extinct boa constrictor that reached lengths near thirteen meters and weighed more than a tonne. Such comparisons underscore how dynamic amphisbaenian evolution could be, with dramatic size shifts opening new ecological possibilities and shaping tropical ecosystems in the distant past.
Earlier studies have attempted to reconstruct aspects of brain organization in birds linked to the dinosaur era, illustrating how neural systems evolved and diversified across lineages. The Tunisian fossil adds a new data point to that broader story by illustrating how unusual body plans adapted to ancient environments and how sensory and feeding adaptations fit within the community of animals at the time. Together with other fossil discoveries, this find enriches the narrative of life on Earth during late Mesozoic to early Cenozoic transitions.