It’s the cutest little 120-million-year-old flying reptile you could ever hope to see.

Nemicolopterus crypticus is a new genus and species of pterosaur, described from a nearly complete fossil discovered in Early Cretaceous sediments in northeastern China.

They say the fossil specimen, the only one known, is probably of a juvenile. So although its wingspan is estimated at 10 inches, it would probably have been larger at adulthood.

Still, it’s one of the smallest pterosaurs known, far smaller than many others. That giant of the sky Quetzalcoatlus, for instance, had a wingspan roughly 40 times wider.

Nemicolopterus shares some features with other later pterosaurs, notably a toothless jaw. But it has some unique features, too, including a projection on its femurs that the scientists say probably supported muscles or tendons that might have connected to the foot, making for strong legs.

It is also the only pterosaur known to have some curved bones in its toes. The scientists say that shows it was adapted to life in the trees. It probably hung out in the canopy of gingko forests, eating insects.

source : nytimes