While most ancient reptiles crawled, ran and jumped, one creature preferred to fly
Researchers at the French National Museum of Natural History in Paris call the creature "the world's first gliding reptile," according to a statement.
In 1907, scientists discovered the firstfossils C. elivensis. Its length was approximately 10 cm, approximately the size of a human hand. Despite its small size, it is called the “flying dragon”. Since then, paleontologists have tried to understand how this species evolved to slither through wooded habitats during the late Permian period (260 to 252 million years ago). The authors of a new study believe they have unraveled the mystery using data on the structure of tree crowns in the ancient ecosystem of this unique reptile.
Experts have found out how the glider movedreptile by reconstructing its skeleton. To do this, they used fossils from three individuals that paleontologists had collected over many years in different locations.
Before the reconstruction, scientists were not sure of the exactthe location of the patagials on the animal's body. Now the authors of the study suggested that the pterygoid structures were most likely located at the bottom of the body of the species. They extended from the gastralia - the abdominal "ribs". Recall that this is a part of the skin skeleton, elongated bone formations located in the tendon layers of the abdominal muscles in some modern reptiles. Scientists determined this by the position of the bones, since the soft tissues of the patagials were not preserved in any of the specimens.
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Cover photo: illustration by Charlène Letenneur