Pterosaurus remains found in Australia

The brutal beast, nicknamed the "Iron Dragon", soared over Australia in the era of dinosaurs. He hunted fish in rivers and lakes. According to scientists, they found on this continent the most fully preserved ancient remains representing a flying reptile, called the pterosaur.

Paleontologists claimed that the remains of an animal named Ferrodraco lentoni were found in the Australian state of Queensland. This creature lived about 96 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, and was distinguished by a 4-meter wingspan. His bones and teeth indicated that the pterosaur adhered to a fish diet.

According to the researchers, Ferrodraco lentoni means "iron dragon". From their point of view, such a name is most suitable for the find. "This animal was one of the main predators that lived in the sky during the Cretaceous. Moreover, if the bones were not preserved in the iron stone, it is unlikely that we would have extracted this fossil material.", - said paleontologist Adele Pentland from the Natural History Museum of Australia.

Pterosaurs, the largest of which had a wingspan of 10.7 meters, lived all over the planet with dinosaurs during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Both disappeared after the asteroid fell to Earth about 66 million years ago.

"The remains of pterosaurs are not often found in fossils. Each such find is a celebration for specialists. Their bones are poorly preserved. This is because they are mostly hollow and thin."Pentland said in an article in Scientific Reports.

So far, most of the remains of this animal species found in Australia have been incomplete, partial. At Ferrodraco lentoni, researchers found a part of the skull, five cervical vertebrae, elements of both wings and 40 teeth. Although the bones found make up approximately 10% of the total body, this is enough to learn a lot about the animal. "This pterosaur gives us a better understanding of how these animals lived in the middle of the Cretaceous."- wrote Pentland.

Pterosaurus, apparently, lived in a forest area near lakes and rivers. His life passed along with the carnivorous dinosaur Australovenator, the long-legged herbivore Savannasaurus, as well as relatives of crocodiles and other animals. Pentland indicated, based on analysis, that the Australian pterosaur has much more in common with relatives from England than from South America.