Researchers find a sparrow-sized pterosaur in western Liaoning, China (2/14/2008)

A reconstruction of Nemicolopterus crypticus

The fossils of a dinky pterosaur ("winged lizard" in Greek, a group of winged reptiles that ruled the skies from 206 million to 65 million years ago) has been discovered by CAS paleontologists and their Brazilian co-workers in northeast China's Liaoning Province. The discovery was published February 11 online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Teaming up with Brazilian paleontologists Alexander W. A. Kellner and Diogenes de Almeida Campos, Dr. WANG Xiaolin and Dr. ZHOU Zhonghe from the CAS Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology made careful studies of fossil remains of Jehol Biota in western part of the Liaoning Province and found a new species of flying reptiles that lived more than 120 million years ago.

The species, named as Nemicolopterus crypticus or hidden flying forest dweller, had a wingspan of only 25 centimeters-- about the size of a modern sparrow. Experts say the pterosaur is not a hatchling or newborn, making it one of the smallest pterosaurs known so far.

In addition to its miniature size, according to the researchers, the nearly complete skeleton suggests that the newfound was toothless with curved foot bones, indicating that it was adapted to living in trees and fed on insects.

Researchers say that the new finding might provide clues to the evolution of later, more massive pterosaurs, the largest of which measured up to 12 meters from wing tip to wing tip.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by the Chinese Academy of Sciences

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