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A fossil belonging to a new species of flying lizard was discovered in a centuries-old collection in a Brighton museum.
Graduate student Roy Smith found the mysterious pterosaur species among the fossil collections housed in Cambridge’s Sedgwick Museum and Brighton’s Booth Museum.
He realized that what was believed to be the spark plug fossils were actually fragments of jaws belonging to toothless pterosaurs.
The University of Portsmouth student said that while the pieces resembled shark spines, there were key differences that allowed them to be distinguished.
“One of these features are tiny holes where nerves come to the surface and are used for sensitive feeding by the pterosaurs,” said Mr. Smith.
“Shark fin spines do not have these characteristics, but early paleontologists clearly ignored these characteristics.
“Two of the specimens discovered can be identified as a pterosaur called Ornithostoma, but an additional specimen is clearly distinct and represents a new species. It’s a paleontological mystery.”
However, the specimen is too fragmented to be the basis for naming the new species, he said.
“Unfortunately, it is doubtful if any more remains of this pterosaur will be discovered, as there are no more exhibits of the rock from which the fossils come.”
But Mr. Smith hopes other museum collections may contain more pieces of the mysterious creature and has promised to continue his research as soon as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Mr. Smith’s supervisor, Professor Dave Martill of the University of Portsmouth, said the little piece of the unknown pterosaur is “tempting.”
He added: “It is extremely exciting to have discovered this mysterious pterosaur right here in the UK.
“This discovery is significant because it adds to our knowledge of these fascinating ancient prehistoric flying reptiles, but it also demonstrates that such discoveries can be made by simply re-examining material in old collections.”
Dr David Unwin, of the Center for Paleobiology Research at the University of Leicester, was also involved in the study, published in The Proceedings of the Association of Geologists.
Additional reporting from Press Association
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