Scientists identify new pterosaur as one of largest-ever flying animals

13 Sep 2019

Scientists identify new pterosaur as one of largest-ever flying animals

Scientists identify new pterosaur as one of largest-ever flying animalsRecently palaeontologists (scientists who study fossils) the Queen Mary University of London in the UK have identified a new species of pterosaur. Pterosaurs were flying reptiles that lived millions of years ago.

They re-examined the remains of a pterosaur that had been discovered 30 years ago in Canada. Up to now, they had thought that it was a different species called Quetzalcoatlus, which lived in Texas, US.
 	The newly-identified pterosaur has been named Cryodrakon boreas.
 	Cryodrakon boreas is also believed to be one of the largest flying animals to have ever existed.

They have published their study in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Cryodrakon boreas is from the Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs. They were flying reptiles that lived during the Cretaceous period, about 77 million years ago.

According to the report, the main skeleton of the fossil (includes wings, legs, neck, and a rib) is from a young animal with a wingspan of about 5 metres while the neck bone is from another specimen with a wingspan of about 10 metres.
 	Cryodrakon boreas were carnivores (ate only meat) and weighed around 250 kg.
 	Unlike most pterosaur groups, azhdarchids were generally terrestrial animals (lived mostly on land). They also have a little capacity of crossing the oceanic distances.

This study has also helped to gain a better understanding of the diversity and evolution of predatory pterosaurs in North America.

Credit: Trushika Narang

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Recently palaeontologists (scientists who study fossils) the Queen Mary University of London in the UK have identified a new species of pterosaur. Pterosaurs were flying […]

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Comments: 3

Sanaa says:

13 September 2019 at 7:55 pm

Why do dinasaure’s have names which I cannot read?😕

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- curioustimes says:
  
  13 September 2019 at 8:09 pm
  
  Thats so true Sanaa, even we can’t pronounce them correctly.
  
  Such names are decided by scientists. The Binomial names are based on genus and species of the organism. The first word is the genus and the second is the species.
  
  There are many tools available online to understand their pronunciation. Don’t give up, try giving it a pet name so that you can remember.
  
  Stay curious!
  
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Sanaa says:

13 September 2019 at 8:15 pm

Thank you 😀😃😄

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