Type specimens of fossils and research fruits of the "Jida pterosaur", a new kind of reptile living in early Cretaceous were displayed at a press conference held at the fossil exhibition hall of the Paleontology and Stratigraphy Center of the Jilin University Dec 22.
The study of the pterosaur fossil is completed by a task group headed by part-time professor of Jilin University Dong Zhiming, who is also a renowned expert on dinosaur research and a researcher with the Research Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This is a new fruit in reptile research of the "Rehe biological colony" in western Liaoning Province. It is also the second time that fossil of rare animal is named after a university in the circle of paleontology in China.
Pterosaur first originated at late Trias about 200 million years ago. Being the most peculiar type of reptile, pterosaur was first vertebrate that flew in the sky. The fossil of the "Jida pterosaur" is discovered in the stratum of Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formtion at Chaoyang, Liaoning Province. The "Jida pterosaur" on display is almost a complete skeleton with a nearly intact cranium. The wingspan of the pterosaur measures 1.6 meters. The new discovery is of paramount importance for research of classification, evolution and distribution of pterosaur.
Fossil of the "Jida pterosaur"
(People's Daily December 25, 2004)
