In Australia, a pterosaur fossil was discovered

Scientists recently discovered a 178-million-year-old pterosaur fossil in Australia’s Chubut province that belongs to a unique new species.

Pterodactyls evolved during the Jurassic period, with the oldest known fossils dating from the Late Jurassic period (about 160 million years ago).

However, the researchers say that this new species, called Melkamter pateko, lived in the early to late Jurassic period. This suggests that pterodactyloids appeared much earlier than previously thought, they note Noi.md with reference to .

One of the features of this discovery is the location of the fossil. The fossilized remains were found far from the coast. This is unusual because most Jurassic pterosaurs are found in marine environments.

Melkamter pateko most likely fed on insects. This suggests that pterodactyloids may have evolved inland, rather than necessarily near the coast.