Shocking discovery in Scotland reveals skeleton of flying dinosaur that lived in China

More than 166 million years after dinosaurs lived on Earth, scientists have said that they have discovered a winged dinosaur skeleton on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

The findings were published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology on February 5. The researchers claimed to have found the remains of a single pterosaur, named Ceoptera evansae, which is likely to have lived 166 to 168 million years ago onEarth during the Middle Jurassic period.

The research was headed by scientists from the University of Bristol, the University of Leicester, the Natural History Museum and the University of Liverpool.

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According to the research, the incomplete fossil remains of Ceoptera evansae were first discovered in 2006 on a small beach close to the coastline of Loch Scavaig, which was located on the Strathaird Peninsula in the Isle of Skye.

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The researchers, since then, analysed partial skeletons - which are remains of the wings, shoulders, backbone and wings - and digital scanning was used to reveal different elements of the skeleton which were "otherwise inaccessible" because of being embedded in rock.

Ceoptera evansae's skeleton is one of the first pterosaur species to be fully digitally prepared, according to the report.

Flying dinosaurs lived in China?

The researchers in the findings said that Ceoptera evansae belongs to a group of pterosaurs, called Darwinoptera.

It was believed that Darwinoptera mainly lived in China, where the species' fossils were discovered before.

In a press release, senior author on the paper and merit researcher at the Natural History Museum Professor Paul Barrett said that the discovery of this dinosaur in the United Kingdom was a "complete surprise".

Caption:Skeleton of the new pterosaur Ceoptera evansae, discovered on a beach on Scotland's Isle of Skye

"Ceoptera helps to narrow down the timing of several major events in the evolution of flying reptiles. Its appearance in the Middle Jurassic of the UK was a complete surprise, as most of its close relatives are from China," said Barrett.

"It shows that the advanced group of flying reptiles to which it belongs appeared earlier than we thought and quickly gained an almost worldwide distribution," he added.

Meanwhile, the lead author on the paper and palaeobiologist from the University of Bristol Dr Liz Martin-Silverstone said that the findings bring researchers "one step closer to understanding" the evolution of pterosaurs.

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"The time period that Ceoptera is from is one of the most important periods of pterosaur evolution, and is also one in which we have some of the fewest specimens, indicating its significance," said Martin-Silverstonein the press release.

"To find that there were more bones embedded within the rock, some of which were integral in identifying what kind of pterosaur Ceoptera is, made this an even better find than initially thought. It brings us one step closer to understanding where and when the more advanced pterosaurs evolved," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)