North America's oldest known pterosaur discovered in Arizona, researchers say
Read Original Source
For paleontologist Ben Kligman, the question was: Is this fragile jawbone a pterosaur or not? Other researchers also had questions about the fossil, unearthed along with thousands of others during a decades-long archaeological dig at a remote bone bed in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Some thought the bone could've been a mammal, Kligman told CBS News.
AI Summary
Main Idea: Researchers led by Ben Kligman identified North America’s oldest known pterosaur from a fragile jawbone found in Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park.
Key Points:
- The fossil was first found by volunteer Suzanne McIntire in the Smithsonian’s FossiLab after it was brought in from the park.
- Scientists named the species Eotephradactylus mcintireae, or “ash-winged dawn goddess.”
- The pterosaur lived about 209.2 million years ago and was about the size of a small seagull.
- The find also helps fill a gap in the late Triassic fossil record and came from a site that also held ancient turtles, amphibians, and crocodile relatives.
Impact on the People
Negative Impact
No clear negative impact identified.
Positive Impact
Smithsonian research and fossil volunteers can improve public science knowledge and museum education, which may support schools, tourism, and taxpayer value.
How did each entity affect people?
Rate how each entity in this article affected the American people.
- Major:Ben Kligmanperson
- Major:Suzanne McIntireperson
Candidate Entities4 candidates · 5 weighted vote min · 70% decision
- Ben KligmanpersonMajorEvaluated
Paleontologist whose identification and explanation of the fossil discovery are central to the article.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Suzanne McIntirepersonMajorEvaluated
Volunteer fossil finder credited with discovering the jawbone and naming inspiration for the species.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Smithsonian Institutioneducational / research institutionMajorAI selected
Led the research and museum fossil work central to the discovery.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Proceedings of the National Academy of Scienceseducational / research institutionContextCandidate
Journal that published the research paper describing the discovery.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold
Comments 0
Comments here are the same thread shown when this article appears in The Pulse.
No comments on this article yet.
Sign in to comment