Discovered flying lizards that lived 125 million years ago in China

Chinese paleontologists discovered in the province of Liaoning (Northeast China) the intact fossil of a flying ancient lizard: a wing-like film that spreads out like a wing allowing it to fly from trees. one after another.

The Xianglong zhaoi lizard has a total length of 15.5cm, with the tail measuring 9.5cm. It lived about 125 million years ago, in the Cretaceous period (Cretaceous).

The eight long ribs support the membrane on each side of the lizard's body. Unlike other flying animals, this membrane does not extend between the legs but on the sides, similar to wings.

Ancient species, such as the Triassic Icarosaurus reptile that lived about 200 million years ago or Permien's Coelurosaurus 250 million to 300 million years ago, are also hovering reptiles.

Today there are several flying lizards: the Draco dragons, also known as Asian dragons, flutter like a parachute to travel in the forest. However, there is no proof that the Cretaceous lizard is the ancestor of the current hovering lizards.

Researcher Xing Xu and colleagues at Beijing's Anthropology and Anthropology Institute published this discovery in PNAS.

(Photo: Foxnews.com)

(Photo: Foxnews.com)

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