In Depth
Yabeinosaurus is a genus of lizard that lived in China during the Early Cretaceous. When first described Yabeinosaurus was thought to have been like a small gecko, but this interpretation was based upon the description of juvenile remains. In 2005, adult specimens were described for the genus, revealing that Yabeinosaurus grew larger and more like an iguana. A specimen of Yabeinosaurus has also been discovered with partially formed embryos inside its body, proving that this lizard was viviparous, meaning that it did not lay eggs but instead gave birth to live young.
Further Reading
- Mesozoic reptilian fauna in the Jehol mountainland, Manchoukuo. Bulletin of the Central National Museum of Manchoukou 3:1-20. - R. Endo & R. Shikama - 1942. - The early Cretaceous lizard genus Yabeinosaurus from China: Resolving an enigma. - Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 3 (4). - S. E. Evans, Y. Wang & C. Li - 2005. - A gravid lizard from the Cretaceous of China and the early history of squamate viviparity. - Naturwissenschaften. 98 (9). - Y. Wang & S. E. Evans - 2011.
