With a wingspan of approximately 4.6 meters, Haliskia peterseni may have been a terrifying predator around 100 million years ago, a time when much of the Central West region of Queensland was submerged under the sea.
A recent study led by scientists at Curtin University (Australia) has identified fossilized bones dating back around 100 million years, unearthed in Australia, belonging to a newly discovered species of flying lizard, a giant flying reptile from the dinosaur era.
Scientists discovered fossils of a giant flying reptile from the dinosaur era. (Source: discoverwildlife).
In 2021, Kevin Petersen, curator of the Kronosaurus Korner marine fossil museum in Queensland, excavated fossil specimens of an ancient flying dinosaur in Western Queensland.
Based on the shape of the skull, the arrangement of the teeth, and the structure of the shoulder bones, the research team led by PhD candidate Adele Pentland at the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences (Curtin University) determined that the specimen belonged to the species Haliskia peterseni, a new genus and species within the Anhanguera group—a family of pterosaurs that once roamed across the Earth, including areas that are now Brazil, England, Morocco, China, Spain, and the United States.
Pentland described: “With a wingspan of approximately 4.6 meters, Haliskia peterseni could have been a formidable predator around 100 million years ago, when much of the Central West region of Queensland was underwater and covered by a vast inland sea similar to today’s Southern Ocean off the coast of Victoria.”
According to Pentland, the specimens excavated by Petersen provided the most complete remains of any Anhanguera species and represent the most complete specimen of any pterosaur ever discovered in Australia.
She noted that the specimen includes a complete lower jaw, an upper jaw tip, 43 teeth, vertebrae, ribs, bones from both wings, and part of a leg.
Additionally, there are very thin and delicate throat bones, indicating that the “muscular” tongue of this pterosaur was very helpful during its feeding on fish and mollusks.
Petersen expressed his delight that his discovery has helped identify a new species, thereby contributing to the knowledge of prehistoric species. He believes that this latest finding represents a significant advancement in science, education, and tourism in the region.
The study titled “Haliskia peterseni, a new Anhanguera pterosaur from the early Cretaceous of Australia” was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports/Springer Nature.
