A 280-million-year-old reptile fossil found in the Alps was initially thought to be a well-preserved specimen.
Researchers used UV photography to reveal that the fossil was actually just paint on rock.
This finding means that the fossil cannot be used as a reliable source of information about how reptiles evolved.
The original discovery of the fossil was made in 2016.
The fossil was thought to be a new species of reptile, called Rhynchocephalia.
The UV photography revealed that the paint used to create the fossil was modern.
The researchers believe that the fossil was created as a hoax.
The hoax may have been created by someone who wanted to sell the fossil for a high price.
The finding highlights the importance of careful scientific analysis of fossils.
This is not the first time that a fake fossil has been discovered.