Slabens

Slabens is a genus of extinct squamate reptiles known from fossil beds in the Valora Archipelago. Described in 2020 by Navarro, Chen, and colleagues, Slabens is named for its distinctive slab-like dorsal scales that give the back a segmented, platey appearance.

Taxonomy and classification

Slabens belongs to the class Reptilia, within the order Squamata. It is placed in the family Slabidae, a monotypic family created to house this distinctive lineage. The type species is Slabens planus, with a second, debated species named Slabens subplanus described from slightly larger individuals with a proportionally shorter tail.

Description

Specimens of Slabens are small to medium-sized lizards, estimated at 6–9 cm in snout-vent length. They exhibit extreme dorsoventral flattening, with broad, rectangular slabs of enlarged dorsal scales arranged along the midline. Limbs are short and robust, with stout digits, and the tail is relatively short in proportion to body length. The skull and limb proportions suggest a rock-dwelling, crevice-adapted lifestyle.

Distribution and habitat

Slabens is known from middle to late Eocene lacustrine and nearshore deposits in the Valora Archipelago. The habitat was likely semi-arid to arid, with rocky outcrops where the flattened body would help conceal the animal under slabs and within crevices.

Fossil record and significance

The genus contributes to a broader pattern of unusual dorsal ornamentation in ancient squamates and provides insight into paleoenvironments of the Valora region during the Eocene.

Etymology

The name Slabens derives from Latin slabum, meaning slab, in reference to the distinctive slab-like scales; planus means flat.

Species

Slabens planus; Slabens subplanus (described as a closely related form).