Translated : The Rio de Janeiro-largest prehistoric flying reptile from South America waited ten years to be presented to the public. Shown today (20), the fossil of a pterosaur - one of the most complete specimens ever found in the world - were shelved at the National Museum of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) until researchers had the resources to mount it.
Removed from the Araripe, on the border between the states of Ceará and Pernambuco, the fossils were only desincrustados a large limestone anonymously donated to the National Museum, studied and reassembled in the last two years through a grant from the Foundation of Research of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ). The work, which includes a full-size replica of the reptile, cost $ 100,000 and will be shown to the public from Friday (22).
According to the research coordinator, Alexander Kellner, a pterosaur Tropeognathis cf. Mesembrinus calls attention to the size and dinosaur has 60% of the body preserved. By analyzing the fossils he found that the animal average 8.5 meters of one wing to the other, weighed about 70 pounds and had almost the whole skeleton and skull preserved.
"I knew the beast was great. We thought that was even a new species, only at the end of the research we discovered that it was not, "said paleontologist. For comparison, he cites the albatross, the largest bird of today, have 3-foot wingspan and weighs 20 pounds - an effect of evolutionary adaptation.
In 2011, the recent discovery of a pterosaur from Chapada in Araripe confirmed that the fossils donated to the museum belonged to species Tropeognathis cf. Mesembrinus . The excavations made by the teams of the National Museum of the University of Cariri and the National Department of Mineral Production, indicate that larger pterosaurs inhabited the same region.
"During excavation, we found a fossil specimen of the same species, an animal of 5.5 meters. How these bones were in training, we found that the animals were the same species, but from there, younger," he said.
At the plateau of Ceará, pteressauros fossils, birds and assorted fish were found by paleontologists and locals.Scholars believe that, 110 million years ago, the area was a lake, and by natural conditions, deposit of limestone, favored the preservation of animal bones in nodules.
"We know this region because the fossils are well preserved, but why Araripe Basin is one of the most important of these fossil deposits in the world, this requires more research," said paleontologist.
In the same situation as it was the largest prehistoric flying reptile in the southern hemisphere, shelved in the National Museum, are thousands of fossils donated or found by researchers. Besides the lack of resources, the researchers say that the organ is necessary professional scientific interest and curiosity of the public.
Removed from the Araripe, on the border between the states of Ceará and Pernambuco, the fossils were only desincrustados a large limestone anonymously donated to the National Museum, studied and reassembled in the last two years through a grant from the Foundation of Research of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ). The work, which includes a full-size replica of the reptile, cost $ 100,000 and will be shown to the public from Friday (22).
According to the research coordinator, Alexander Kellner, a pterosaur Tropeognathis cf. Mesembrinus calls attention to the size and dinosaur has 60% of the body preserved. By analyzing the fossils he found that the animal average 8.5 meters of one wing to the other, weighed about 70 pounds and had almost the whole skeleton and skull preserved.
"I knew the beast was great. We thought that was even a new species, only at the end of the research we discovered that it was not, "said paleontologist. For comparison, he cites the albatross, the largest bird of today, have 3-foot wingspan and weighs 20 pounds - an effect of evolutionary adaptation.
In 2011, the recent discovery of a pterosaur from Chapada in Araripe confirmed that the fossils donated to the museum belonged to species Tropeognathis cf. Mesembrinus . The excavations made by the teams of the National Museum of the University of Cariri and the National Department of Mineral Production, indicate that larger pterosaurs inhabited the same region.
"During excavation, we found a fossil specimen of the same species, an animal of 5.5 meters. How these bones were in training, we found that the animals were the same species, but from there, younger," he said.
At the plateau of Ceará, pteressauros fossils, birds and assorted fish were found by paleontologists and locals.Scholars believe that, 110 million years ago, the area was a lake, and by natural conditions, deposit of limestone, favored the preservation of animal bones in nodules.
"We know this region because the fossils are well preserved, but why Araripe Basin is one of the most important of these fossil deposits in the world, this requires more research," said paleontologist.
In the same situation as it was the largest prehistoric flying reptile in the southern hemisphere, shelved in the National Museum, are thousands of fossils donated or found by researchers. Besides the lack of resources, the researchers say that the organ is necessary professional scientific interest and curiosity of the public.
Source: AgenciaBrasil
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