PARIS: Scientists on Monday unveiled a previously unknown species of giant pterosaur, the first creatures with a backbone to fly under their own power.

Neither dino nor bird, pterosaurs — more commonly known as pterodactyls — emerged during the late Triassic period more than 200 million years ago and lorded over primeval skies until a massive space rock slammed into Earth, wiping out land-dwelling dinosaurs and most other forms of life more than 65 billion years ago .

The newly discovered member of the family, identified through remains found in northeastern Utah, had a wing-span of 1.5 metres and 112 teeth, including fang-like spikes sticking out near the snout.

A jutting lower jaw suggests a pelican-like pouch, perhaps to scoop up fish and unsuspecting small reptiles.

“They are delicately framed animals that are built for flying,” said Brooks Britt, a paleontologist at Brigham Young University in Utah and lead author of a study in Nature Ecology & Evolution. Caelestiventus hanseni — roughly, “heavenly wind” — is probably the most complete skeletal remains of a pterosaurs ever found.

“Most pterosaurs bones look like road-kill,” Britt said, noting that there are only 30-odd specimens in the entire world from the Triassic period. By contrast, the new specimen left behind dozens of intact bones and teeth, along with an entire brain casing.

The remains are still encased in sandstone, but scientists generated accurate 3-D images and models of each fossil using CAT scan technology.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2018