New dinosaur species discovered after being preserved in volcanic ash 209 million years ago

The winged reptile, named Eotephradactylus mcintireae, lived 209 million years ago during the Triassic period.

Eotephradactylus was unearthed in 2011 by Suzanne McIntire, who volunteered at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History "FossiLab" for 18 years.

"What was exciting about uncovering this specimen was that the teeth were still in the bone, so I knew the animal would be much easier to identify," she said.

Researchers at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History have now confirmed the fossil's identity, which was preserved in volcanic ash at a remote "bonebed".

Their discovery pushes back the timeline for pterosaurs in North America and provides new insights into the early evolution of these flying reptiles that lived alongside dinosaurs.

The winged animal was remarkably small, with researchers noting it would have been tiny enough to comfortably perch on a person's shoulder.

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Its teeth and jawbone proved crucial for identifying the new species of flying lizard.

The 209 million-year-old environment where the pterosaur lived was vastly different from modern Arizona, with small river channels and seasonal floods.

Eotephradactylus's eventual deathbed lay in the middle of the supercontinent Pangaea, just above the equator.

Analysis of the fossil's worn tooth tips led researchers to conclude that it likely fed on armoured fish found at the site.

The species's name, meaning "ash-winged dawn goddess", references the volcanic ash where the fossil was discovered.

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Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park excavation site has yielded over 1,200 individual fossils, including bones, teeth, fish scales and fossilised faeces, providing a comprehensive picture of the area's ancient ecosystem.

Alongside the pterosaur, researchers discovered fossils of an ancient armoured turtle with spike-like features and a shell small enough to fit inside a shoebox.

This tortoise-like creature lived around the same time as the oldest known turtle, previously found in Germany.

"This suggests that turtles rapidly dispersed across Pangaea, which is surprising for an animal that is not very large and is likely walking at a slow pace," said one researcher.