Ancient flying reptiles known as pterosaurs were much more diverse than originally thought, according to new research by an international group of paleontologists — including scientists at the University of Alberta and the Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

An ancient and perfectly preserved pterodactyl specimen originally discovered in a limestone quarry near Beirut, Lebanon more than 15 years ago was the focus of the research.

Paleontologist Michael Caldwell, co-author and University of Alberta professor of biological sciences and earth and atmospheric sciences, said he had the chance to study the pterodactyl specimen because he was already researching snake and worm fossils from the same type of stone.

“A pterodactyl is a kind of pterosaur, which is sort of like a duck — it’s a kind of bird,” Caldwell, explained, adding they were closely related to crocodiles and other kinds of dinosaurs.

“This paper describes the very first pterodactyl of its kind from the Middle East.”

He said it had long, narrow wings with a span of a metre to a metre-and-a-half, but a body about the size of a sparrow and a head longer than its body (“Sort of wings with a mouth”), and likely fed on crustaceans along the surface of the water; much like modern seabirds such as the albatross and frigatebird.

The reptile existed from about 240 million years ago until around 95 million years ago; in the early part of the Late Cretaceous period.

It lived in the middle of what is now called the Tethys Seaway — a vast expanse of shallow marine waters filled with reefs and lagoons, separating Europe from Africa and stretching all the way to Southeast Asia.

“Previous to this report, in scientific reports, all of these kinds of pterodactyls were only known from south China.”

Caldwell said the study found the pterodactyls living in the Tethys Seaway are related to those from China.

“This means that this Lebanese pterodactyl was part of a radiation of flying reptiles living in and around and across the ancient Tethys Seaway, from China to a great reef system in what is today Lebanon,” Caldwell explained.

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