About 38 million years ago, three snakes died while huddled together in what is now Wyoming. For decades, the identity of the fossils has been a mystery. Now, researchers have revealed the snakes are a newly identified species.
The fossils were discovered in the White River Formation in 1976, and researchers first described the snakes' clustering behavior in a 1986 study. The snakes may have been clustering for warmth and protection over winter, before being preserved in what became the first clear evidence of reptile social behavior in the fossil record, according to a statement from the University of Alberta. The fossils suggest these snakes may have been hibernating in groups like modern-day garter snakes (Thamnophis) do.
