When did the major evolutionary radiation within the Typhlopidae family occur relative to the Cretaceous extinction event?
Answer
Around 63 to 59 Myr ago, after the extinction event
While the Scolecophidians are ancient, the diversification rates within specific families varied. The Typhlopidae family, distinct from the ancestors that established themselves on Indigascar, experienced its major radiations significantly later. Molecular dating places this significant evolutionary expansion between approximately 63 and 59 million years ago. Crucially, this diversification took place following the Cretaceous extinction event, suggesting that the ecological shifts and newly available subterranean niches presented by the Cenozoic era provided the necessary opportunities for these specialized lineages to rapidly diversify.
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