Jurassic Pterosaur Unearthed on the Isle of Skye

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New findings concerning a fresh species of pterosaur from samples found on Scotland's Isle of Skye have recently been revealed by a team of scientists from the University of Bristol, the Natural History Museum, the University of Liverpool, and the University of Leicester.

The new pterosaur is a member of the Darwinoptera clade of pterosaurs. With this revelation, it is evident that the clade had a far greater biodiversity than earlier speculated, and that it survived for around 25 million years, from the late Early Jurassic to the latest Jurassic. Remarkably, during this era, species within the clade were able to reach all corners of the globe.

'A new pterosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Skye, Scotland and the early diversification of flying reptiles', a study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, heralds the emergence of a new, complex model for the early evolution of pterosaurs.

The rarity and incomplete nature of Middle Jurassic pterosaur fossils have previously presented barriers to understanding their early evolution, however, this discovery showcases that all primary Jurassic pterosaur clades emerged well before the end of the Early Jurassic, sooner than previously believed. This finding also revealed that pterosaurs continued to exist into the latest Jurassic, contemporaneous with avialans – the dinosaurs that would eventually give rise to modern-day avians.

The discovered remains consist of a partial skeleton of a single entity, which includes components of wings, shoulders, legs, and spine. A large number of the bones remain fully bedded in stone, accessible only through CT-scanning.

Prof. Paul Barrett, Merit Researcher at the Natural History Museum, and senior author of the paper stated that 'Ceoptera aids in defining the timing of several key events in the evolution of flying reptiles. The fact that Ceoptera emerged in the Middle Jurassic period of the U.K. is surprising, considering that most of its near relatives are from China. It signifies that the advanced group of flying reptiles to which it belongs established a virtual worldwide distribution earlier than we had assumed.'

Barrett and team formally named the new species 'Ceoptera evansae'. 'Ceoptera' is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word 'Cheò', which translates to 'mist', and '-ptera' stands for 'wing' in Latin. 'Evansae' is a tribute to Professor Susan E. Evans for her lifelong dedication to anatomical and palaeontological research, particularly on the Isle of Skye.

Lead author, Dr. Liz Martin-Silverstone, a palaeobiologist from the University of Bristol noted the significance of Ceoptera's time period in pterosaur evolution, saying that 'The discovery of additional bones embedded within the rock, many of which were key in identifying the type of pterosaur Ceoptera is, made this an even better find than initially thought. It brings us one step closer to understanding where and when the more advanced pterosaurs evolved.'

Journal source: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

This information is supplied by the University of Bristol