Scientists Find 200 Million-Year-Old Flying Reptile Species
The scientists have named the pterosaur, Eotephradactylus mcintireae, which means "ash-winged dawn goddess," referring to the volcanic ash that helped preserve its bones. The name also honours volunteer Suzanne McIntire, who discovered the jawbone.
"What was exciting about uncovering this specimen was that the teeth were still in the bone, so I knew the animal would be much easier to identify," McIntire said as quoted by The Independent.
The pterosaur is approximately 209 million years old, dating back to the late Triassic period, and was found in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. Modern micro-CT scanning helped scientists to learn anatomical traits unique to pterosaurs, which confirmed that it was a new species.
Eotephradactylus mcintireae was about the size of a small seagull, with winged reptiles likely feeding on armoured fish, as indicated by the heavy wear on its preserved teeth.
This discovery fills a gap in the sparse Triassic pterosaur record, providing fresh insight into early powered flight and suggesting that similar Triassic rock deposits worldwide may contain pterosaur fossils.
"The bones of Triassic pterosaurs are small, thin, and often hollow, so they get destroyed before they get fossilised," palaeontologist Ben Kligman of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington told BBC.
"Our ability to recognise pterosaur bones in [these ancient] river deposits suggests there may be other similar deposits from Triassic rocks around the world that may also preserve pterosaur bones."
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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Scientists discover 200-million-year-old flying reptile species
Nearly 200 million years ago, large flying reptile species or pterosaurs, used to fly above dinosaurs. Scientists discovered the jaw of a pterosaur in Arizona sometime in 2013; however, now they have ascertained that it is an entirely new species. They made this discovery with the help of modern scanning technology. The reptile species has been named as Eotephradactylus mcintireae which means 'ash-winged dawn goddess'. The volcanic ash is said to have preserved the reptile's bones on the ancient riverbed. The creature was named by a team of researchers from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. Experts predict that the fossil of the pterosaur is 209 million years old and currently believe it to be the oldest pterosaur to be discovered in North America. The jaw of the pterosaur is just one part of the collection of fossils found in the archaeological site; the fossils include bones, teeth, fish scales, and even fossilised dung (which is known as coprolites). 'The bones of Triassic pterosaurs are small, thin, and often hollow, so they get destroyed before they get fossilised,' Dr Kligman told the BBC. The site area was a riverbed more than 200 million years ago; scales, bones, and other signs of life were progressively trapped and preserved by layers of sediment. To understand more about the creature, experts studied its teeth to narrow down what the seagull-sized reptile would have eaten during its existence. Dr Kligman told the publication that they have an unusually high degree of wear at their tips. This evidence shows that the creature was feeding on something with hard body parts. Their most likely prey were primitive fish that would have had hard scale armour covering them. The Triassic pterosaur was discovered in the desert landscape amid ancient rocks in the present day Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. Scientists say that the site where they found the creature's fossils had preserved the 'snapshot' of the ecosystem. They also found groups of animals that now are extinct. The other ancient creatures that they found include ancient armoured crocodile relatives and amphibians. And some creatures that can be recognised today, like frogs and turtles.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Was the mythical dragon real? 240 million years old fossil found in China resemble the legendary beasts
The mythical dragon gliding through ancient seas has always been one of the most talked-about animals among people. There have always been various legends that support the existence of this massive magical creature, but is it true that it actually glided over the ancient landscapes? Recently, fossils of a real ancient creature were discovered that remained preserved in stone for 240 million years. Paleontologists are now exploring these fossils in southwestern China. These fossils belong to Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a long-necked marine reptile whose extraordinary appearance is similar to the legendary beasts. Originally discovered in 2003, the full anatomy of Dinocephalosaurus remained a mystery until a team of international researchers assembled enough well-preserved specimens to finally reconstruct it. A living "Chinese dragon" Dinocephalosaurus orientalis was first named in 2003, but it wasn't until recently that paleontologists described its entire skeleton in detail. New fossils from Guizhou Province allowed researchers to fill in the missing pieces and offer a complete view of its anatomy Measuring around 16–20 feet, this marine reptile had a neck longer than its body and tail combined, due to a massive 32 cervical vertebrae. Its long form and snake-like head has led to frequent comparisons to the mythical Chinese dragon Not related to plesiosaurs, yet uniquely adapted Although it superficially resembled later plesiosaurs, an extinct Mesozoic marine reptile, Dinocephalosaurus was not closely related to them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brasil terá 41% dos idosos com flacidez muscular até 2035 se não tomar isso Revista do Homem Saiba Mais Undo Instead, it belongs to the archosauromorpha lineage, evolving its long neck independently. Dense, paddle-like limbs and preserved fish in its stomach suggest a truly marine lifestyle and piscivorous diet. Surprisingly, the fossil evidence indicates this reptile gave birth to live young, that is also an exceptionally rare trait for reptiles, suggesting it was fully adapted to ocean life. The study was led by researchers from China, Germany, Scotland, and the U.S., with specimens housed at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and National Museums Scotland. Dr Li Chun of Beijing said, 'This has been an international effort. … Among all of the extraordinary finds … Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable.' Why this discovery matters Dr Nick Fraser from National Museums Scotland commented, 'This discovery allows us to see this remarkable long‑necked animal in full for the very first time … we are certain that it will capture imaginations across the globe'. By showing an entirely new combination of marine traits and reproductive strategies, Dinocephalosaurus also increases our understanding of Triassic evolution. The fossil discovery tells us how diverse and experimental marine ecosystems were during the Triassic wherethese Dinocephalosaurus survived along with plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and other bizarre forms.
NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
Scientists Find 200 Million-Year-Old Flying Reptile Species
Scientists have found a new species of pterosaur that lived 200 million years ago along with the dinosaurs. The fossilised jawbone of the creature was unearthed by scientists at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in 2011. They have now identified the fossil as the oldest known species of the pterosaur in North America. The scientists have named the pterosaur, Eotephradactylus mcintireae, which means "ash-winged dawn goddess," referring to the volcanic ash that helped preserve its bones. The name also honours volunteer Suzanne McIntire, who discovered the jawbone. "What was exciting about uncovering this specimen was that the teeth were still in the bone, so I knew the animal would be much easier to identify," McIntire said as quoted by The Independent. The pterosaur is approximately 209 million years old, dating back to the late Triassic period, and was found in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. Modern micro-CT scanning helped scientists to learn anatomical traits unique to pterosaurs, which confirmed that it was a new species. Eotephradactylus mcintireae was about the size of a small seagull, with winged reptiles likely feeding on armoured fish, as indicated by the heavy wear on its preserved teeth. This discovery fills a gap in the sparse Triassic pterosaur record, providing fresh insight into early powered flight and suggesting that similar Triassic rock deposits worldwide may contain pterosaur fossils. "The bones of Triassic pterosaurs are small, thin, and often hollow, so they get destroyed before they get fossilised," palaeontologist Ben Kligman of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington told BBC. "Our ability to recognise pterosaur bones in [these ancient] river deposits suggests there may be other similar deposits from Triassic rocks around the world that may also preserve pterosaur bones."
