Tałanda, M.; Fernandez, V.; Panciroli, E.; Evans, S.E.; et al.
morphology · topology · range · methods
NMS G.2022.1.1 is the near-complete Bellairsia gracilis specimen from the Middle Jurassic Kilmaluag Formation, Skye, Scotland (Extended Data Fig. 1); Kirtlington material is separate fragmentary referred comparison material shown in Extended Data Fig. 4. The molecular-backbone Bayesian analyses recover Bellairsia on the squamate stem.
Synchrotron-scanned NMS G.2022.1.1 preserves a Jurassic mosaic of squamate-like and retained skeletal states and is recovered on the squamate stem in cited matrices; proposed kinesis and crown timing are not directly observed.
claim:event:bellairsia-synchrotron-stem-squamateThe cited analyses place Megachirella on the squamate stem, Taytalura as an early-diverging stem lepidosauromorph, and Bellairsia on the squamate stem; these placements are sampled analytical results and do not resolve every lepidosaur relationship.
claim:taxon:lepidosauria:taxonomyThe profile's named lepidosaur samples come from the Middle Triassic Italian Alps (Megachirella), Late Triassic Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina (Taytalura), and the Middle Jurassic Kilmaluag Formation of Skye, Scotland (Bellairsia specimen NMS G.2022.1.1); these occurrences do not establish a global lepidosaur distribution.
claim:taxon:lepidosauria:biogeographyHigh-resolution imaging exposes complementary early lepidosaur anatomy: Megachirella contributes cranial, wrist and shoulder characters, Taytalura preserves a three-dimensionally exposed CT-resolved skull, and Bellairsia provides synchrotron-resolved stem-lizard anatomy.
claim:taxon:lepidosauria:morphologyThe cited Megachirella, Taytalura and Bellairsia studies provide locality, anatomy and phylogenetic analyses but do not establish a single Lepidosauria diet, habitat, locomotor mode, body-size distribution or ecological guild; those fields remain explicitly unassigned here.
claim:taxon:lepidosauria:ecology