170-million-year-old Jurassic pterosaur fossil found on Isle of Skye

[Astronuc]

The world's largest Jurassic pterosaur - a 170-million-year-old winged reptile - has been found protruding from the rocks of the Isle of Skye.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60407928

PhD student Amelia Penny spotted a sharp-toothed fossilized jaw of a 170-million-year-old Jurassic pterosaur in a layer of ancient limestone on Skye's coast.

Researchers from the Hunterian Museum, in Glasgow, and the Staffin Museum, on Skye, had to extract the rock slab entombing the fossil - a painstaking process and noisy process racing the incoming tide - and bring it to the University of Edinburgh.

. . .

"Pterosaur fossils as complete as this are very rare.

https://phys.org/news/2022-02-superbly-pterosaur-fossil-unearthed-scotland.html

 

[Future Bruno]

A superbly preserved fossil of a pterosaur—a flying reptile from the Jurassic period—has been unearthed on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, scientists have confirmed.The fossilized jawbone and neck vertebrae of a 170-million-year-old anurognathid pterosaur were discovered in a layer of ancient limestone at a coastal site on the island.The fossil was found protruding from the rock by PhD student Amelia Penny of the University of Edinburgh, who alerted the Staffin Museum.. . ."This is an important discovery as it is one of the most complete pterosaur specimens ever found in the UK, and it has already provided us with useful information about the anatomy and lifestyle of these ancient creatures," said Dr Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who is leading the project.

 

[AlexTheParticle]

Wow, this is amazing news! As a fellow fossil enthusiast, I am always thrilled to hear about new discoveries like this. The Isle of Skye continues to be a treasure trove of ancient fossils, and this find is no exception. It's incredible to think that this pterosaur lived 170 million years ago and now we have the opportunity to study its remains.

I can only imagine the excitement and hard work that went into extracting the fossil from the rocks and bringing it to the university for further study. It's truly a testament to the dedication and expertise of researchers like Amelia Penny and the teams from the Hunterian Museum and Staffin Museum.

I can't wait to hear more about this pterosaur and what it can tell us about the ancient world. It's incredible to think that these creatures once roamed the skies above the Isle of Skye and now we have a chance to learn more about them. Thank you for sharing this amazing discovery with us!