New species of winged dinosaur that lived 166 million years ago found in Scotland
A NEW species of pterosaur has been discovered – on a Scottish island.
The celestial beast, called Ceoptera evansae, lived between 166 and 168 million years ago in the mid-Jurassic period.
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Paleontologists discovered the fossil remains in 2006 during an excursion to Elgol, on the Isle of Skye.
Because it is an area of special scientific interest, the team could only collect specimens from rocks that had fallen onto the beach.
They have spent the years since preparing the Ceoptera specimen and taking scans of the bones, some of which are completely embedded in the rocks.
Only parts of the shoulders, wings, legs and spine remain, but the researchers say this provides important insights into the evolution and diversity of pterosaurs.
The new species belongs to a group known as Darwinoptera, which may have existed for more than 25 million years – with many fossils found in China.
Prof. Paul Barrett of the Natural History Museum said: “Ceoptera helps refine the timing of several key events in the evolution of flying reptiles.
Why did the dinosaurs become extinct?
This is what you need to know…
- The extermination of the dinosaurs was a sudden mass extinction on Earth
- About 66 million years ago, it wiped out roughly three-quarters of the planet's plant and animal species
- This event marked the end of the Cretaceous period and opened the Cenozoic era, in which we are still in today
- Scientists generally believe that a huge comet or asteroid about 15 kilometers wide crashed into Earth and destroyed the planet
- This impact would have led to a prolonged 'impact winter', causing serious damage to plant life and the food chain that depended on it
- More recent research suggests that this impact 'fueled' major volcanic activity, which also led to the wipeout of life
- Some studies have suggested that the number of dinosaurs was already declining due to climate changes
- But a study published in March 2019 claims that dinosaurs likely “thrived” before the extinction
“Its appearance in the Middle Jurassic of Britain was a complete surprise.
“It shows that the advanced group to which it belongs appeared earlier than we thought and quickly acquired a nearly global distribution.”
The first part of the new name comes from the Scottish Gaelic word 'cheo', meaning mist or fog, and the Latin word 'ptera', meaning wing.
The second part – evansae – honors the work of palaeontologist Professor Susan E Evans, especially on the Isle of Skye.
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