A "New" Reptile? - Eurazhdarcho Langendorfensis

Article:
http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/02/04/new_kind_of_extinct_flying_reptile_discovered_by_scientists.html
Original Research Article:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0054268 
Additional Link:
http://radioactivelabrats.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/eurazhdarcho-langendorfensis/

 

 

Just last year in Romania, a new extinct reptile was discovered in the famous Transylvanian Basin. The bones seem to be around 68 million years old and an article has been published through PLOS. It has been determined that it is an azhdarchids, which belongs in a group called pterosaurs. Azhdarchids have long necks and beaks, as well as large wings that can be folded out of the way. Dr Darren Naish commented that, "With a three-meter wingspan, Eurazhdarcho would have been large, but not gigantic [ . . .]".

 

This new reptile is considered to be a big deal, not only because it is a new extinct reptile, but because it is the most complete azhdarchid found in Europe. Also, the area where the fossils were found might help support a theory stating that azhdarchids traveled through forests to find prey.

NOS Themes:

1) The role of motivation and curiosity applies since archeologists need to be motivated. They need to be motivated to work hard to find things and be curious enough to keep looking even when it may be difficult.

2) This discovery is directly connected with the NOS theme, "Science is based on evidence". The bones they found are concrete evidence and all the information they published in their research article was information they were able to get through the fossils and surroundings.

 

 

3) This discovery involved collaboration between scientists from "the Transylvanian Museum Society in Romania, the University of Southampton in the UK, and the Museau Nacional in Rio de Janiero, Brazil". In order to come to a conclusion, a scientist should talk to other scientists in their field, as well as out of their field, to draw conclusions, have a "peer editor" of sorts, and see if there are any parallels to other experiments.

Overall, I chose this article because it shows that people are discovering new things - even now. We won't be running out of fossils to find, things to experiment on, or questions that we can ask ourselves and not know the answer to. What do you guys think? Do you like this idea of always having more to explore? Specifically, what do you think of this new reptile? Does anyone know if these archeologists found any other extinct species?