2024 in reptile paleontology

This list of fossil reptiles described in 2024 is a list of new taxa of fossil reptiles that were described during the year 2024, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to reptile paleontology that occurred in 2024.

Squamate research

 * A study on the biogeography of squamates throughout their evolutionary history, providing evidence of a localized Pangaean origin (Africa, Australia, Eurasia and Sunda) of the squamate crown group in the Jurassic followed by strong regionalization to Eurasia for subsequent Jurassic lineages, is published by Wilenzik, Barger & Pyron (2024).
 * New lizard assemblage, including fossil material of a pleurodontan iguanian, a teiioid and a possible scincoid, is described from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) Allen Formation (Argentina) by Garberoglio et al. (2024).
 * Revision of the fossil material of Paleocene lizards from the Walbeck fissure filling (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) is published by Čerňanský & Vasilyan (2024), who interpret Camptognathosaurus parisiensis as a junior synonym of Glyptosaurus walbeckensis, resulting in a new combination  Camptognathosaurus walbeckensis, tentatively assign C. walbeckensis to the family Lacertidae, and interpret fossils of Parasauromalus paleocenicus as belonging to an indeterminate lacertid.
 * An iguanian skull from the Paleogene White River Formation (Wyoming, United States), tentatively assigned to the species Aciprion formosum, is interpreted as the oldest and first definitive stem member of Crotaphytidae by Scarpetta (2024); the author also interprets Polrussia mongoliensis as possible member of the crown group of Pleurodonta, Magnuviator ovimonsensis as a possible stem pleurodontan and Afairiguana avius as a possible anole.
 * De Queiroz et al. (2024) describe a probable juvenile anole specimen from the Dominican amber, and identify it as a trunk anole likely related to extant Anolis distichus.
 * Revision of the fossil material and a study on the affinities of Pseudopus pannonicus is published by Loréal, Georgalis & Čerňanský (2024), who interpret the majority of large anguids from the Neogene of Europe as junior synonyms of P. pannonicus.
 * The oldest fossil material of Platecarpus from Europe reported to date, as well as fossil material of Tylosaurus sp, is described from the Santonian localities in the Sougraigne area (Aude Department, France) by Plasse et al. (2024).
 * Páramo-Fonseca et al. (2024) describe well-preserved chondrocranial elements of a mosasaur specimen from the Coniacian Galembo Formation (Colombia), indicating that chondrocranium of mosasaurs was more reduced than in most lizards, but not as severly as in snakes and amphisbaenians, and that its reduction might have been related to the modification of limbs by adaptation to aquatic life.
 * Rempert, Martens & Vinkeles Melchers (2024) describe new fossil material of mosasaurs from the Upper Cretaceous strata in Mississippi (United States), providing evidence of the presence of Mosasaurus hoffmannii during the Maastrichtian and of cf. Platecarpus, an unnamed species of Plioplatecarpus from the Demopolis Chalk and probably of Tylosaurus sp. during the Campanian.
 * A study on a skull of a specimen of Plioplatecarpus from the Campanian Bearpaw Shale (Alberta, Canada) preserved with a sclerotic ring is published by Holmes (2024), who interprets Plioplatecarpus as having a stereoscopic vision and capable of tracking quickly moving objects in light-poor conditions.
 * Aniny et al. (2024) describe a trunk vertebra of Palaeophis cf. africanus from the Eocene deposits of the El Breij Depression (Western Sahara), expanding known geographical range of the species.
 * Garberoglio, Gómez & Caldwell (2024) describe fossil material of a large-bodied (estimated to be around 8 meters in total length) snake distinct from Titanoboa from the Paleocene Cerrejón Formation (Colombia) interpreted by the authors as an undetermined palaeophiine.
 * The first known snake assemblage from early Clarendonian in North America is reported from the Penny Creek Local Fauna (Ash Hollow Formation; Nebraska, United States) by Jacisin & Lawing (2024), who interpret the studied fossils as indicative of a woodland-prairie environment with a permanent stream or river as a local water source.
 * ElShafie (2024) presents novel methods which can be used to determine body size from isolated lizard bones and applies these methods to a sample of lizard bones from the Paleogene of North America.

Ichthyosauromorph research

 * Liu, Wu & Qiao (2024) describe a new hupehsuchian specimen from the Lower Triassic strata in South China, identified as a new morphotype of Nanchangosaurus and preserving the first known fossil material of palate, zeugopodium and autopodium of Nanchangosaurus.
 * Evidence from experiments with soft robotic models, indicative of a direct correlation between fin shape and the pitch torque generated while swimming in ichthyosauriforms, is presented by Sprumont et al. (2024).
 * A study on bone arrangement in ichthyosaur fins throughout their evolutionary history, providing evidence of the presence of a broad array of connectivity patterns, is published by Fernández et al. (2024).
 * Sander et al. (2024) describe vertebrae of a member of the genus Cymbospondylus from the Olenekian Vikinghøgda Formation (Svalbard, Norway), interpreted as likely belonging to an animal with a total length between 7.5 m and 9.5 m.
 * Fossil material of medium- to large-sized probable ichthyopterygians is described from the Anisian strata in South Primorye (Russia) by Zakharov et al. (2024).
 * Putative bone fragments of large-bodied dinosaurs from Rhaetian strata in France, Germany and United Kingdom are reinterpreted as fossil material of large-bodied ichthyosaurs by Perillo & Sander (2024).
 * Description of Early Jurassic ichthyosaur specimens from the collection of fossils amassed by Charles Moore is published by Massare et al. (2024).
 * Campos et al. (2024) redescribe the holotype of Myobradypterygius hauthali, interpreting this species as phylogenetically distant from species belonging to the genus Platypterygius, and consider Myobradypterygius to be a distinct genus.

Sauropterygian research

 * A study on tooth wear patterns in Middle and Late Triassic placodonts from Europe, interpreted as suggestive of different diet composition of the studied placodonts (with some taxa unlikely to feed solely on hard-shelled animals), is published by Gere et al. (2024).
 * Kear et al. (2024) describe a nothosaur vertebra from the Anisian Balmacaan Formation (New Zealand), representing the oldest sauropterygian record from the Southern Hemisphere reported to date.
 * A study on the tooth replacement in Maresaurus coccai, and on its implications for reconstructions of changes of the tooth replacement cycle period of plesiosaurs throughout their evolutionary history, is published by Matelo Mirco, O'Gorman & Gasparini (2024).
 * Vincent et al. (2024) describe a new specimen of Liopleurodon ferox from the Middle Jurassic (Callovian) from the Grève Quarry (Vienne, France), and interpret its anatomy as confirming that the lack of fusion between centra and neural arches of the cervical vertebrae is not a trait exclusive to juvenile pliosaurids, and might also be a paedomorphic feature of adult specimens.
 * Alhalabi et al. (2024) describe fossil material of an elasmosaurid from the Coniacian-Santonian Rmah Formation (Syria), representing the most complete plesiosaur specimen from the Middle East reported to date and likely the oldest Cretaceous plesiosaur from the Middle East.
 * A study on the histology of the vertebrae of Vegasaurus molyi from different sections of the vertebral column is published by Talevi, Garat & Fernández (2024).
 * O'Gorman (2024) studies the neck elongation pattern in Elasmosaurus platyurus, taking the taphonomic distortion into account, and presents a new scheme of neck elongation patterns in plesiosaurs with a long neck and small skull.
 * Zverkov et al. (2024) redescribe Polycotylus sopozkoi and confirm its status as a distinct species within the genus Polycotylus.

Turtle research

 * Pereira et al. (2024) provide evidence of two peaks in extinction rates in the evolutionary history of turtles, with the first peak coinciding with the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition, and the second one (possibly caused by hominin activities) beginning in and continuing since the Pliocene.
 * A study on the osteological variation among the humeri of extant turtles, Proganochelys quenstedtii, Proterochersis porebensis and Palaeochersis talampayensis is published by Hermanson et al. (2024).
 * Redescription of the anatomy of the skull of Heckerochelys romani is published by Obraztsova, Sukhanov & Danilov (2024).
 * A study on the biomechanical performance of the skull Niolamia argentina of is published by Degrange et al. (2024), who interpret the frill and horns of N. argentina as more likely used for display than for combat.
 * Sterli et al. (2024) describe fossil material of a new turtle taxon from the Cenomanian Piedra Clavada Formation (Argentina), with a distinctive morphology indicating that it belongs to a previously unrecognized lineage of turtles, and representing the oldest Late Cretaceous turtle from the southernmost part of South America reported to date.
 * Tong et al. (2024) describe new shell material of Phunoichelys thirakhupti and Kalasinemys prasarttongosothi from the Phu Noi site (Thailand), providing new information on the anatomy of the studied turtles.
 * Pérez-García & Rubio (2024) describe a carapace of Algorachelus cf. peregrina from the Albian or Cenomanian Boundary Marls Unit of the Utrillas Group (Spain), representing the oldest bothremydid from Laurasia reported to date.
 * Cadena et al. (2024) describe new fossil material of Puentemys mushaisaensis from the Paleogene Arcillolitas de Socha Formation (Boyacá Department, Colombia), expanding known geographical range of the species, and interpret its presence in both Arcillolitas de Socha Formation and the Cerrejón Coal Mine as indicative of connectivity of coastal and inland ecosystems in northern South America during the late Paleocene to early Eocene.
 * Sena et al. (2024) study the microstructure of shells of Bauruemys elegans and other members of Pelomedusoides from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene strata in southern Brazil, and interpret their findings as consistent with an aquatic to semi-aquatic lifestyle of the studied turtles, as well as supporting the interpretation of the turtle carapace as originating endoskeletally from ribs and vertebral arches.
 * New information on the shell anatomy of Neochelys zamorensis is presented by Pérez-García et al. (2024).
 * Pérez-García, Camilo & Ortega (2024) describe new fossil material of Selenemys lusitanica from the Upper Jurassic Bombarral and Sobral formations (Portugal), providing new information on the shell anatomy of this turtle.
 * Spicher, Lyson & Evers (2024) redescribe the anatomy of the skull of Saxochelys gilberti.
 * Redescription of the anatomy of the skull of Allaeochelys libyca is published by Rollot, Evers & Joyce (2024).
 * Description of an isolated cranium of Axestemys infernalis, representing the first trionychid skull material from the Maastrichtian Lance Formation (Wyoming, United States), and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of A. infernalis is published by Ponstein et al. (2024).
 * Girard et al. (2024) describe new fossil material of Hutchemys rememdium from the Sentinel Butte and Bullion Creek formations of the Fort Union Group (North Dakota, United States), including the first known skull material of a member of the genus Hutchemys.
 * Redescription of the holotype and a study on the affinities of Nichollsemys baieri is published by Menon et al. (2024).
 * The first fossil marine turtle found with gastroliths preserved in its body cavity (a protostegid possibly belonging to the species Protosphargis veronensis) is described from the Turonian strata of Scaglia Rossa (Italy) by Serafini et al. (2024).
 * Evers & Al Iawati (2024) describe the anatomy of the skull of Stylemys nebrascensis, and interpret this species as a possible stem-representative of the gopher tortoise lineage.
 * Torres et al. (2024) interpret tortoise fossil material from the Late Pleistocene strata in Ecuador as belonging to the sister taxon of the Galápagos tortoises, and interpret the studied fossils as indicating that the ancestors of the Galápagos tortoises evolved large body size before reaching the Galápagos Islands from the South American continent.
 * A study on the evolutionary history of turtles from insular Southeast Asia is published by Claude et al. (2024), who confirm that Duboisemys isoclina was an endemic extinct taxon.

Archosauriform research

 * Sharma et al. (2024) describe new proterosuchid material from the Lower Triassic (Induan) Panchet Formation (India), consider fossil material of "Teratosaurus" bengalensis to likely belong to a proterosuchid, and find no evidence for the presence of more than one archosauromorph taxon in the upper Panchet Formation.
 * A study on jaw mechanics of Proterochampsa nodosa de Simão-Oliveira et al. (2024), who report that Proterochampsa was able to perform bite forces comparable to those of alligators, but also that its jaws were more susceptible to bending than jaws of alligators, as well as more prone to accumulate stresses resulting from muscle contraction than both alligators and false gharials.
 * LePore & McLain (2024) identify a specimen of Machaeroprosopus mccauleyi from the Chinle Formation with a sacrum including a sacralized first caudal vertebra, expanding known sacral count variation in phytosaurs.
 * Sander & Wellnitz (2024) describe a phytosaur osteoderm from the Upper Triassic strata in the Bonenburg clay pit (Contorta Beds of the Exter Formation; North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) representing the youngest well-dated phytosaur fossil reported to date, and indicating that phytosaurs survived into the late middle Rhaetian, at most two million years before the end of the Triassic.

Other reptile research

 * A study on the microanatomy and replacement of teeth in mesosaurs is published by Carlisbino et al. (2024).
 * New information on the anatomy of the skull of Emeroleter levis is presented by Bazzana-Adams, MacDougall & Fröbisch (2024), who also study the phylogenetic relationships of nycteroleterids.
 * A study on the chronological sequence of late Permian localities in Eastern Europe preserving pareiasaur osteoderms is published by Golubev, Naumcheva & Boyarinova (2024).
 * Redescription of the anatomy of the skull and a study on the affinities of Nanoparia luckhoffi is published by Van den Brandt et al. (2024).
 * Mooney et al. (2024) describe a skeleton of Captorhinus aguti from the Richards Spur locality (Oklahoma, United States), preserved with integumentary structures interpreted as remnants of the epidermis, and showing surface morphologies of the skin consistent with variation in most extant and extinct reptiles.
 * Buffa et al. (2024) propose a new reconstruction of the skull and mandible of Avicranium renestoi and study the affinities of weigeltisaurids and drepanosauromorphs, recovering the former group as stem-saurian diapsids and the latter group as the sister taxon of trilophosaurids within Archosauromorpha.
 * A study on the bone histology of Priosphenodon avelasi, interpreted as indicative of alternation between periods of slow and fast growth, is published by Cavasin, Cerda & Apesteguía (2024).
 * Taxonomic revision of the genus Xinpusaurus is published by Maisch (2024), who considers X. suni and X. kohi to be valid species belonging to this genus, interprets X. bamaolinensis as a junior synonym of X. suni, and transfers X. xingyiensis to the genus Concavispina.
 * Redescription of Pachystropheus rhaeticus is published by Quinn et al. (2024), who identify this reptile as a member of Thalattosauria.
 * Redescription of the skeletal anatomy of Dinocephalosaurus orientalis is published by Spiekman et al. (2024), who interpret D. orientalis as adapted to more open waters than Tanystropheus hydroides, and consider the similarities between Dinocephalosaurus and Tanystropheus to be largely convergent.
 * Redescription of Trachelosaurus fischeri, interpreted as the first unambiguous Dinocephalosaurus-like archosauromorph found outside the Guanling Formation, is published by Spiekman et al. (2024), who consider the family Trachelosauridae to be the senior synonym of the family Dinocephalosauridae, and name a new clade of non-crocopodan archosauromorphs Tanysauria.
 * A study on the shape variation in the cervical vertebrae of tanystropheids and related archosauromorphs, providing evidence of existence of modularity patterns in the necks of early archosauromorphs and evidence indicating that elongated necks of tanystropheids and archosaurs evolved in different ways, is published by Rytel et al. (2024).
 * A study on the bone histology of Ozimek volans, providing evidence of similarity of the histology of its long bones to those of small bats, is published by Konietzko-Meier et al. (2024).
 * Redescription and a study on the affinities of Malerisaurus robinsonae is published by Sengupta, Ezcurra & Bandyopadhyay (2024).
 * Schiefelbein et al. (2024) describe a new specimen of "Hyperodapedon" sanjuanensis from the Upper Triassic Candelária Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence (Brazil), preserving delicate scleral ossicles and providing information on the visual adaptations of hyperodapedontine rhynchosaurs.
 * De-Oliveira et al. (2024) describe new postcranial material of Teyujagua paradoxa from the Lower Triassic Sanga do Cabral Formation (Brazil), providing evidence of a morphology intermediate between early archosauromorphs and proterosuchids.
 * Rossi et al. (2024) report that purported soft tissues of the holotype of Tridentinosaurus antiquus are actually manufactured pigment, indicating that the body outline is a forgery and the only real parts of the specimen are the hindlimbs and osteoderms, and consider the validity of the taxon to be doubtful.

Reptiles in general

 * Cawthorne, Whiteside & Benton (2024) describe Late Triassic reptile fossils from the Emborough, Batscombe and Highcroft quarries (Somerset, United Kingdom), including fossil material of a new crocodylomorph taxon similar to Saltoposuchus and other loricatan fossils, an ilium of Pachystropheus rhaeticus (interpreted by the authors as a thalattosaur rather than a choristodere) and fossils of a possible procolophonid, Kuehneosaurus latus, rhynchocephalians, a possible lepidosauromorph similar to Cryptovaranoides microlanius and trilophosaurids.
 * Zverkov et al. (2024) revise the fossil record of marine reptiles from the Callovian of European Russia, providing evidence of the presence of a relict rhomaleosaurid as well as ichthyosaurs and thalattosuchians distinct from Western European ones in the early Callovian, and evidence of exchange of marine reptile faunas between Western and Eastern European seas in the middle to late Callovian.
 * Foffa, Young & Brusatte (2024) study the morphological and functional variation of lower jaws of marine reptiles from the Oxford Clay and Kimmeridge Clay formations, providing evidence of convergence of members of distantly related groups to similar feeding strategies, and likely evidence of niche partitioning among coexisting reptiles.
 * A study on the orbit and eye size in fossil archosauromorphs is published by Lautenschlager et al. (2024), who find that the largest eyes relative to the skull length were mostly present in small taxa, that herbivorous species had on average both larger orbits and larger skulls than carnivores, that eyes which were large in absolute terms appeared predominantly in large-sized dinosaurs irrespective of their diet, and that different activity patterns cannot be determined on the basis of orbit size alone.
 * A study on the evolution of locomotion in archosauromorph reptiles is published by Shipley et al. (2024), who interpret their findings as indicative of greater range in limb form and locomotor modes of dinosaurs compared to other archosauromorph groups, and argue that the ability to adopt a wider variety of limb forms and modes might have given dinosaurs a competitive advantage over pseudosuchians.