Researchers working in the Messel Pit Fossil Site, located near Darmstadt, Germany, made an impressive find when they dug up what was easily identified as a snake fossil. Dated back to the Eocene period, the snake was determined to be a young Palaeopython fischeri, and at first nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but upon closer inspection, it became clear there was more to this find than they initially realized.
About midway down the body, the remains of Geiseltaliellus maarius, an ancient lizard related to today's iguanas, could be seen in what was once the snake's digestive tract. This arboreal lizard was about 19.7 cm from snout to tail, and was in fairly good condition (the scientists were even able to recognize a small kink in the tail, likely caused by predation). But, like some sort of prehistoric nesting doll, the researchers were amazed to discover the remains of an insect inside the lizard's stomach.
Unfortunately, the structure and coloration of the insect were not enough to identify exactly what species it was. This find is considered extremely valuable as a "bigger-picture fossil", giving us an idea of how not only the fossilized animal may have lived and died, but also its interactions with other species of the prehistoric time period. The Messel Pit Fossil Site remains popular because fossils discovered there often show stomach contents, but a find detailing this much of the food chain is an awesome discovery!