Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Two new pterosaur species

Paleontologists have uncovered the remains of two new flying reptile species that shared the skies with early birds 120 million years ago in what is now China.

The two species, Feilongus youngi and Nurhachius ignaciobritoi, belong to a family of flying reptiles known as pterosaurs. Both were discovered in Liaoning, a northeastern province of China famous for yielding fossils of bird-like dinosaurs.

Feilongus had two crests atop its head running from front to back, one along its foot-long snout and another on the back of its head. It had a slight overbite and its teeth were curved and needle-shaped, while that of Nurhachius were pointed and triangular.

Read more here.


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