26 may 2012
This past month, Korean and international paleontologists published a report on discovering the world's first fossil records of a bipedal pterosaur.
Commonly referred to as pterodactyls, these flying dinosaurs once ruled the skies more than 160 million years ago.
The groundbreaking fossil footprints were found on the island of Changseon, just southwest of the city of Busan.
The highly-preserved impressions are of great importance to researchers, because they mark the first time that pterosaurs were documented as walking on two legs.
Before, they were thought to solely be quadripeds.
The discovery is expected to spark fresh debates on the evolution of animal movement, as the dinosaur tracks share similarities with humans.
The previously image shows a quadriped pterosaur
[Interview : Dr. Martin Lockley, Paleontologist
University of Colorado at Denver] "And some people look at these and think that they look like human footprints. When they are well-preserved, they have four toes, not five, which is a difference from human footprints."
The fossilzed footprints of the pterosaur show trackways spanning up to 18 meters in length, more than twice the length found at previously known sites. The footprints are also now the largest to be found in the world at 39 centimeters, which would mean that this species could have been up to four times larger than previously estimated.
[Interview : Kim Jeong-yul, Professor of Earth Science
Korea Natl. University of Education] "This first discovered evidence that it walked on two legs is a huge fossil record discovery. The educational and scientific implications are significant."
The Korean peninsula has become an invaluable resource for prehistoric scientists.The southern coast of Korea is home to some of the oldest known fossils, including perfectly preserved dinosaur nests and eggs.
The Korean government is currently petitioning the Korean Dinosaur Coast to be registered as one of the UN's World Heritage Sites. Researchers hope to unearth more precious links to the past and inspire a new generation of paleontologists.
