Eupodophis years old. It was found in Cenomanian-age limestone near the al-Nammoura village in Lebanon. "Eupodophis" was a marine snake that lived in the Mediterranean Tethys Ocean. It had a laterally compressed body and short, paddle-like tail. The vertebrae and ribs of "Eupodophis" are pachyostotic, or thickened, as an adaptation to a marine lifestyle. The pelvic bones are small and weakly attached to each other. Tarsal bones are present but reduced in size and form. The metatarsals and phalanges of the foot are absent. The fossil skeleton of "Eupodophis" was analyzed using synchrotron x-rays at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in
Cysts of the jaws Cysts of the jaws A cyst is a pathological epithelial lined cavity that fills with fluid or soft material and usually grows from internal pressure generated by fluid being drawn into the cavity from osmosis (hydrostatic pressure). The bones of the jaws, the mandible and maxilla, are the bones with the highest prevalence of cysts in the human body. This is due to the abundant amount of epithelial remnants that can be left in the bones of the jaws. The enamel of teeth is formed from ectoderm (the precursor germ layer to skin and mucosa), and so remnants of epithelium