25 February  2022.

Introduction:

Researchers have discovered new species of Pterosaurs, who were the first vertebrates to evolve flight. The species include the largest flying animals in history of Earth.

Facts

• Some of the last-surviving species were of the size of airplanes.
• Pterosaurs were earlier thought to be restricted to small body sizes with wingspans of 1.6-1.8 m, from Triassic origins to throughout Jurassic period.
• But the newly-discovered species named “Dearc sgiathanach”, is the largest Jurassic Pterosaur yet known. Its bones and skull are the longest of any other Jurassic specimens.

About Dearc Sgiathanach

• Dearc Sgiathanach is the flying reptile, with wingspans of over 2.5 m or perhaps larger over 3 m.
• It belonged to a group of early pterosaurs called Rhamphorhynchidae and lived around 170 million years ago.
• It is the biggest pterosaur known from the Jurassic period.

Who discovered the skeleton?

• Spectacularly preserved skeleton of the new species was discovered by team member Amelia Penny in 2017 at Rubha nam Brathairean on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.
• It is the best-preserved skeleton of a pterosaur ever found in Scotland. Pterosaurs preserved in such quality are rare and are usually reserved to some of the rock formations in China and Brazil.

How was study conducted?

• CT scans of skull of Dearc sgiathanach revealed large optic lobes, indicating that species would have had good eyesight.
•  To achieve flight, they had hollow bones with thin bone wall.
• It made their remains incredibly fragile and unfit for preservation for millions of years.

About Pterosaurs

• Pterosaurs were flying reptiles of extinct clade or order Pterosauria. They lived during most of the Mesozoic, that is from Late Triassic to the end of Cretaceous.
• They are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight. Their wings were formed by a membrane of muscle, skin and other tissues.
• It was stretching from ankles to fourth finger.