CNN —An amateur paleontologist has discovered a new species of pterosaur, a flying reptile that lived alongside dinosaurs around 100 million years ago.
Kevin Petersen, an avocado farmer and curator of the Kronosaurus Korner fossil museum in northwest Queensland, Australia, unearthed a number of fossilized bones in western Queensland in 2021.
Fewer than 25 sets of pterosaur remains belonging to four species have been found in Australia since the 1980s, while more than 100 sets have been found in Brazil and Argentina.
In finding Haliskia, Petersen found the most complete specimen of any pterosaur discovered in Australia to this day, Pentland said in the statement, praising Petersen for his “careful preparation” of the remains.
“I’m thrilled that my discovery is a new species, as my passion lies in helping shape our modern knowledge of prehistoric species,” he said in the statement.
Persons:
Kevin Petersen, Korner, Haliskia, Adele Pentland, ” Pentland, Pentland, ”, Petersen, “, Kronosaurus Korner, “ I’m, Palaeontologists, Victoria –
Organizations:
CNN, Curtin University, Curtin’s School of, Planetary Sciences
Locations:
Queensland, Australia, Perth, Brazil, Argentina, Australian, Victoria