Photo: NATALIA JAGIELSKA / copyright
Argentine scientists discovered a new species of a huge flying reptile nicknamed Thanatosdrakon amaru –or the Deity (Amaru) “Dragon of death” (Thanatosdrakon)– who lived long ago 60 millions of years with the dinosaurs, in a discovery that sheds new data on a predator whose body was as long as a school bus.
The fossil bones of this flying reptile were found in rocks from the late Cretaceous Period, and were found and preserved in a rescue procedure carried out during civil works.
The fossil remains, which are exceptionally well preserved, belong to the axial skeleton (vertebrae) and the appendicular skeleton (bones of the forelimbs and hindlimbs) of two specimens.
“The pterosaurs (flying reptiles ) were a very unique group of animals that lived from the Triassic to the Cretaceous and represent the first vertebrates that acquired the ability to fly actively. They are usually confused with dinosaurs, a closely related group”, says Dr. Leonardo Ortiz, head of the excavation and postdoctoral fellow at the National University of Cuyo, in a statement.
New species of pterosaur
After years of investigation, the team was able to determine that the remains studied correspond to a new species of pterosaur because the bones present unique characteristics never before seen in other pterosaurs in the world. Phylogenetic analyzes allowed us to define that Thanatosdrakon belongs to the clade Azhdarchidae, a group of pterosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of which the famous Quetzalcoatlus, the largest pterosaur in the world.
An aspect that stands out in Thanatosdrakon is the size of its bones, which show that it is a giant specimen; in fact, it is the largest pterosaur in South America and one of the largest in the world. The largest specimen has a wingspan of approximately 9 meters and the smallest specimen, one of approximately 7 meters.
“Another relevant aspect it is the state of preservation of the fossil remains, since it is unusual to find numerous large pterosaur bones in good condition. This aspect is crucial, since Thanatosdrakon preserves elements never before discovered in other giant azhdarchids”, Ortiz explained. . This made it possible to make interpretations about the anatomy of these animals, which stand out for being the largest vertebrates that ever flew on Earth.