Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Eugene

(61,900 posts)
Mon Feb 4, 2013, 08:31 PM Feb 2013

Fossil of Flying Dino-Age Reptile Found

Source: Live Science

Fossil of Flying Dino-Age Reptile Found

by Megan Gannon, News Editor
Date: 04 February 2013 Time: 02:20 PM ET

Scientists say they've discovered the fossilized bones of a new type of pterosaur, a flying dinosaur-age reptile, which lived about 68 million years ago and had a wingspan of nearly 10 feet (3-meters).

The skeletal bits of the mid-sized pterosaur were found in Sebeş-Glod in Romania's Transylvanian Basin, famous for its rich array of Late Cretaceous fossils, including crocodylomorphs (ancient relatives of crocodiles), mammals, turtles and dinosaurs like the dwarf sauropod Magyarosaurus dacus and the dromaeosaur Balaur. Scientists dubbed the new reptile Eurazhdarcho langendorfensis and say it belonged to a group of pterosaurs called the azhdarchids.

Pterosaurs lived among the dinosaurs and became extinct about the same time, but they were not dinosaurs. They are sometimes wrongly called pterodactyls, which actually just describes the first genus of pterosaur discovered by scientists in the 18th century. Small pterosaurs developed during the Triassic Period, about 230 to 200 million years ago. Later, during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, more advanced forms of the flying reptiles, like azhdarchids, started evolving.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.livescience.com/26835-fossil-of-flying-dino-age-reptile-found.html

10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Fossil of Flying Dino-Age Reptile Found (Original Post) Eugene Feb 2013 OP
And they only flew at night, Jackpine Radical Feb 2013 #1
I think they glided as opposed to flew as birds do dipsydoodle Feb 2013 #2
Pterosaurs are freaking neat Scootaloo Feb 2013 #3
that's awesome. Soylent Brice Feb 2013 #4
It's an amazing thing to consider... Scootaloo Feb 2013 #5
i think of that often, Soylent Brice Feb 2013 #6
Amazing dipsydoodle Feb 2013 #7
And children n/t Scootaloo Feb 2013 #8
Two nations...... dipsydoodle Feb 2013 #9
Storks? What about pelicans? nt cstanleytech Feb 2013 #10

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
2. I think they glided as opposed to flew as birds do
Mon Feb 4, 2013, 08:44 PM
Feb 2013

inasmuch they may not have been able to take off from flat ground at sea level by flapping their wings.

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
3. Pterosaurs are freaking neat
Mon Feb 4, 2013, 08:54 PM
Feb 2013

It's been theorized that azhdarchids, while capable of flight, probably spent more time on the ground, acting like storks from hell;


And in case you're interested in scale...

?v=0

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
5. It's an amazing thing to consider...
Mon Feb 4, 2013, 09:35 PM
Feb 2013

How incredibly few species are represented in the fossil record. There is no reason why the world of the late cretaceous would have been less biologically diverse than the modern world, and look how much wild shit we've got going on!

Just imagine what must have existed, that we will never know about.

Soylent Brice

(8,308 posts)
6. i think of that often,
Mon Feb 4, 2013, 09:51 PM
Feb 2013

the amazing creatures that've roamed the earth. there's so much we still don't, and won't ever, know.

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
9. Two nations......
Tue Feb 5, 2013, 08:49 AM
Feb 2013

What we call front and back garden you refer to as front and back yard. In this case I meant my back / rear garden which is shut off and secluded but easily accessed by the local pigeons as is the roof of my Victorian house too.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Science»Fossil of Flying Dino-Age...