Pterosaurs lived at almost the same time as the dinosaurs did. Many of them had large wingspans, some of which had been longer than the length of their bodies. It has been commonly believed that pterosaurs became extinct when the first birds came. A small pterosaur found in British Columbia, Canada may soon change that notion.
According to Mysterious Universe parts of this small pterosaur have been found in Hornby Island. These parts include the arm bone, a fused vertebrae and some other limb pieces. What identified it as a pterosaur is its vertebrae.
Most pterosaurs found during the Late Cretaceous period were large, having wingspans as long as 11 meters in length. By comparison the small pterosaur only has a wingspan of 1.5 meters. Its arm bone also showed that it was an adult that was found.
The small pterosaur is said to belong to the group azhdarchids, which is known for being short-winged and were toothless. What makes the discovery important is that it shows small pterosaurs most likely survived much of the Cretaceous period and for a time lived along with the birds. Lead author Elizabeth Martin-Silverstone of the University of Southampton further noted that the small pterosaur wasn't outcompeted at all by the birds.
Finding more fossils of the small pterosaur might be difficult though, as she also noted that the fossils don't preserve very well unlike that of larger pterosaurs. Still, study co-author Dr. Mark Witton of the University of Portsmouth said that it is a significant find, as Sci News reports.
"It's rare to find pterosaur fossils at all because their skeletons are lightweight and easily damaged once they died," Dr. Witton observed. He also concluded that based on analysis, the pterosaur found was not a baby or a juvenile of much larger pterosaurs.
In another area the find is also significant, as it just might open the way for museums to look into smaller creatures during that time period. Typically museums focus more on larger animals as many seem to find them more interesting.
