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Unusual fossils unearthed in coal deposits of the Czech Republic have been combined to create a map of the first ever reptile skull.

The reconstruction pieced together previously unrecognised skeletons from the Nýřany Basin to create the skull features of the Late Carboniferous Gephyrostegus bohemicus.

This was a small animal of generally lizard-like build that lived 308 million years ago. It is the earliest example of a reptile and could explain the origin of amniotes.

Gephyrostegus bohemicus reconstruction of skull with the lower jaw and teeth picture. Scientists believe this is the earliest example of a reptile

Amniotes are a group of back-boned creatures that includes turtles, lizards, birds, dinosaurs and mammals.

The study was undertaken by experts from Comenius University in Bratislava alongside a UK team which included the Natural History Museum in London and the University of Lincoln.

Their aim was to provide an analysis of early tetrapod relationships incorporating their new observations of the Gephyrostegus.

Pictured is the Gephyrostegus bohemicus reconstruction of skull.  This was a small animal of generally lizard-like build that lived 308 million years ago

Gephyrostegus was a small animal around 8.7 inches (22cm) in length. It had a generally lizard-like build with large eyes and a large number of small, pointed teeth, indicating it was an active hunter

Their analysis used skeletal traits across a sample of early tetrapod groups to identify the likely features of the Gephyrostegus.

Dr Marcello Ruta, from the School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, was one of the authors and produced a series of intricate hand-drawn recreations of the cranial structure of Gephyrostegus.

'Gephyrostegus has always been an elusive beast,' he said.

'Several researchers have long considered the possibility that the superficially reptile-like features of this animal might tell us something about amniote ancestry.

'But Gephyrostegus also shows some much generalised skeletal features that make the issue of its origin even more problematic.'

The new study shows that Gephyrostegus is closely related to another group of Eurasiatic and North American tetrapods called seymouriamorphs.

'We found some interesting new cranial features in Gephyrostegus that helped us establish this link,' said Dr Ruta.

'Staring at specimens for a long time down a microscope and trying to make sense of their anatomy may be frustrating and tiring at times, but always immensely rewarding.'

Dr Marcello Ruta, from the School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, was one of the authors and produced a series of intricate hand-drawn recreations of the cranial structure of Gephyrostegus. Pictured is a reconstruction of part of the skull structure of the Gephyrostegus

The reconstruction was created by Slovakian and UK experts who based it on fossils found in the coal deposits of the Nýřany Basin in the Czech Republic