Cretaceous

Published on November 15th, 2019 | by Liz Martin-Silverstone

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Episode 105: Ferrodraco

Australia has many fossils from all ages, including several dinosaurs known exclusively from this time and place. However, they are not well known for their pterosaur fossils, having only a handful of specimens, and up to now just two named species from this large continent. Last month, the most complete pterosaur from Australia was described, a new species called Ferrodraco lentoni.

At the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Brisbane, Australia, we were able to sit down with Adele Pentland, lead author on the study published in Scientific Reports, to talk about this exciting new find. Adele is a PhD student at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, and Research Associate at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Natural History Museum.

Lead author Adele Pentland with Ferrodraco lentoni skull.
Map showing where Ferrodraco lentoni was found. Image from Pentland et al. 2019.
A fragment of Ferrodraco lentoni jaw with tooth in situ before excavation.
Adele preparing the specimen for excavation.
Grazier Bob Elliott, who found the specimen and reported it to Australian Age of Dinosaurs, with the specimen after preparation.
Ferrodraco lentoni (A) with the other Australian pterosaur holotype material, Mythunga camera (B) and Aussiedraco molar (C). Image from Pentland et al. 2019.
Skeletal reconstruction of Ferrodraco lentoni showing the elements of the skeleton that are present. Image from Pentland et al. 2019.
CT scanning of Ferrodraco lentoni at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.
Phylogenetic tree showing where Ferrodraco lentoni sits amount other pterosaurs. Image from Pentland et al. 2019.
Artists impression of Ferrodraco lentoni by Travis R. Tischler.

Image credit Australian Age of Dinosaurs Natural History Museum unless otherwise stated.

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