Researcher after studying 48 million-year-old fossil of a basilisk has provided further evidence proving that Wyoming's climate used to be tropical. The fossils being studied belong to an animal, which is said to be quite similar to modern Jesus lizards.

Jack Conrad, a research associate of vertebrate paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, was the one who conducted the study and presented his findings in a paper published in PLOS One.

Conrad seeing into his findings noted that his finds might help scientists on predicting how species, including both animals and plants, would react to future climate change.

It is said that the animal which is almost 2-foot-long lizard is the first new tropical species that has been found at mid-latitudes. Conrad named his find as Babibasiliscus alxi. He suggests that the species could be the first representative of the Jesus lizard family.

Conrad in an explanation said that lizard was said to be active during the day and lived mostly in trees. He said a bone ridge present on the top of its head provided it shade from the sun and gave it a more furious look.

Furthermore, the lizard has small teeth, which suggest its usual diet which would include anything ranging from snakes and other lizards to fish, insects, and even plants.

Conrad said the lizard had wide cheekbones, therefore, there is a high possibility that the creature might be able to eat even larger animals.

As per experts, the basilisk family, including chameleons and iguanas, is among the least studied representatives of the reptile world because there are very few fossils available for scientists to study.