Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

First Pterosaur Embryo Fossil Discovered

Posted by timothy on from the sounds-like-an-omelet dept.

blamanj writes "A fossil embryo, preserved in an almost complete egg was found in the sediment of a lake in Liaoning in northeastern China. The Liaoning embryo has a wingspan of 10.6 inches, indicating that the embryo would have grown up into a medium-to-large pterosaur."

2 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. Dinosaurs Among Us? by Ieshan · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Interested parties might want to check out the following article from Avian Visual Cognition: Dinosaurs Among Us?

    This article is a discussion of avian evolution from an avian physiology expert and the possible "bird-dinosaur" connection.

    Very interesting stuff.

  2. Says who, exactly? by Pi_0's+don't+shower · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The Liaoning embryo has a wingspan of 10.6 inches, indicating that the embryo would have grown up into a medium-to-large pterosaur.
    While I agree that this is one possible conclusion, is there anywhere where it has evidence as to what stage of embryonic development this dinosaur is currently at? For instance, at varying stages of embryonic development, a human fetus has gills, fins, and wings. Someone viewing a gilled human fetus might even go as far as to mis-classify it. My question is, how sure are we that this is actually the dinosaur we think it is, and not some later evolutionary descendent?