Fossil of new reptile species found in Brazil sheds light on rise of dinosaurs

Scientists in Brazil announced the discovery of one of the world's oldest fossils believed to belong to an ancient reptile dating back some 237 million years that could help explain the rise of the dinosaurs. Named Gondwanax paraisensis, the four-legged reptile species was roughly the size of a small dog with a long tail, or about 1 meter (39 inches) long and weighing between 3 and 6 kg (7 to 13 pounds), the scientists said in a statement on Monday. The small reptile would have likely roamed the land of what is today southern Brazil, when the world was much hotter.