The world's oldest fossilized butthole has been discovered, and it's older than you might think. This ancient reptile's behind, dating back 290 million years, has revealed fascinating insights into the evolution of early reptiles. But here's where it gets controversial: the fossilized cloaca, a multi-purpose opening, challenges long-held beliefs about the presence of this feature in early reptiles. And this is the part most people miss: the cloaca's shape and orientation are unique, resembling the buttholes of turtles, lizards, and snakes, rather than those of dinosaurs and crocodiles.
The fossil, named Cabarzichnus pulchrus, was found in the Thuringian Forest of Germany and is estimated to be around 9 centimeters in length. It provides a clear impression of the reptile's belly scales and a modified tail structure that surrounds a vent-like opening. This discovery not only breaks the previous record for the oldest fossilized butthole but also supports the theory that the cloaca was present in early reptiles. The research, published in Current Biology, highlights the importance of trace fossils in understanding the evolution of early terrestrial vertebrates, offering a unique glimpse into the past.
