The fate of the dinosaurs following the K-Pg impact is well documented and until recently this event was thought to have had little impact on the diversity of lizards and snakes (Squamata). A new paper by Longrich et al challenges this assumption and reveals that species level extinction was 83%. Survival was associated with small body size and wide geographic range. Recovery was prolonged and did not reach Cretaceous levels of diversity until 10My after the extinction.
This study identified three previously unrecognised species of lizard- one of which the authors have named ‘Obamadon gracilis’ after the President's election-winning smile.
A full copy of the paper may be found here.