Speaking of winged dinosaurs, the image of the pterodactyl, a giant reptile with a wingspan of up to 12 meters, immediately comes to mind. Pterosaurs, as the squad of flying dinosaurs is called, became extinct about 66 million years ago. To this day, scientists from different countries find the remains of new species of these amazing animals. This time, the researchers were able to identify the discovered remains of a miniature flying lizard, whose height was only 30 centimeters, and the wingspan did not exceed one and a half meters. In other words, it was no bigger than a domestic cat.
The remains of a new dinosaur were discovered in Canada by an amateur paleontologist in 2009. Only a few years later, scientists began to closely identify them and came to the conclusion that their age is about 77 million years. Apparently, the tiny dinosaurs date back to the Upper Cretaceous, which contradicts some of the ideas of pterosaur science.
“The pterosaur we discovered is living proof that these creatures survived to the end of the Cretaceous. Previously, it was assumed that by this time they had already been supplanted by more familiar birds”, - reflects the author of the study, Elizabeth Martin-Silverstone.
We invite you to take a look at the wonderful illustrations in which the artist tried to restore the image of these amazing creatures that died out tens of millions of years ago. Charming creatures, aren't they? For more information on the open dinosaur, visit the official website of the Royal Society Open Science journal.
SERGEY GRAY
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