Data from: An exceptionally preserved Jurassic skink suggests lizard diversification preceded fragmentation of Pangaea

The present distribution of lizards is usually explained as a result of
relatively recent global events, i.e. faunal turnovers or exchanges within
and between particular continents mostly connected with glaciations and
land-bridges. However, today’s disjunct distribution of the North American
Xantusiidae and African Cordyliformes (close relatives of skinks) does not
fit generally accepted biogeographic patterns. A new exquisitely preserved
specimen of the Late Jurassic lizard Ardeosaurus brevipes from the
Solnhofen area, Germany sheds some light on the problem. A posterior
projection of its parietal is known only in the Dibamidae, Gekkota, and
Scincoidea, taxa representing first branches on the molecular tree of
lizards. The projection of the parietal is proposed to be an apomorphy of
the Squamata that was lost in the common ancestor of Lacertoidea and
Toxicofera (snakes, anguimorphs and iguanians). This implies a basalmost
position of A. brevipes on the Squamata tree. The location of the
supratemporal such as in A. brevipes characterizes all the Scincoidea and
some geckos, but most geckos lack osteoderms, which are common in
Scincoidea. This makes A. brevipes the oldest known crown-member of this
lineage. Moreover, this indicates that the main groups of modern lizards
were present already in the Jurassic. Ancestors of Cordyliformes migrated
to Gondwana in the Late Jurassic together with dinosaurs, prior to the
Cretaceous separation of this ancient continent.