{"id":18915,"date":"2022-10-14T16:38:28","date_gmt":"2022-10-14T14:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=129513"},"modified":"2022-10-14T16:54:10","modified_gmt":"2022-10-14T14:54:10","slug":"scottish-fossil-identified-as-pterosaurs-flightless-cat-sized-early-ancestor","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/scottish-fossil-identified-as-pterosaurs-flightless-cat-sized-early-ancestor\/","title":{"rendered":"Scottish fossil identified as pterosaurs\u2019 flightless, cat-sized early ancestor"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Jason Goodyer\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 14 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Fossils first discovered in northeast Scotland more than 100 years ago have been identified as belonging to an early ancestor of pterosaurs \u2013 the iconic flying reptiles of the dinosaur<\/a> age.<\/p>\n

Researchers based at National Museums Scotland identified Scleromochlus taylori<\/em> by making casts of impressions left in sandstone by several specimens of the reptile found in northeast Scotland. They then CT scanned these impressions and recreated the skeletons of Scleromochlus <\/em>using 3D modelling software.<\/p>\n

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CT scan data of the fossils was used by Matt Humpage of Northern Rogue Studios to create finely detailed 3D models of Scleromochlus<\/em>\u2019 skeleton.<\/span><\/figcaption> \u00a9 Paul Barrett<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

This enabled them to piece together the fine details of the early reptiles\u2019 anatomy and place them in the family tree of lagerpetids, the closest relatives to pterosaurs.<\/p>\n

Scleromochlus<\/em> was a small, cat-sized animal that lived in what is now Elgin in northeast Scotland, around 230 million years ago.<\/p>\n

Identifying Scleromochlus<\/em> had previously proved problematic due to the difficulty in correctly identifying the fine detail in its anatomy.<\/p>\n

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One of the sandstone samples used in the study. The imprint of Scleromochlus<\/em> is visible in the centre of the stone.<\/span><\/figcaption> \u00a9 Paul Barrett<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to be able to resolve a debate that\u2019s been going on for over a century,\u201d said lead researcher Dr Davide Foffa<\/a>, a former research associate at National Museums Scotland.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it is far more amazing to be able to see and understand an animal which lived 230 million years ago and its relationship with the first animals ever to have flown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more about dinosaurs:<\/strong><\/p>\n