Mimodactylus is a genus of istiodactyliform pterosaur that lived in what is now Lebanon during the Late Cretaceous, 95 million years ago. The only known specimen was discovered in a limestone quarry near the town of Hjoula. The owner of the quarry allowed the specimen to be prepared by researchers, and it was donated to the MIM Museum in Beirut. In 2019, the researchers named the new genus and species Mimodactylus libanensis; referring to the MIM Museum, with the Greek word daktylos for 'digit', and the specific name refers to Lebanon. The well-preserved holotype specimen is the first complete pterosaur from the Afro-Arabian continent (which consisted of the then joined Arabian Peninsula and Africa), and the third pterosaur fossil known from Lebanon. The marine deposits of Hjoula are late Cenomanian in age and are well-known for fish fossils. The holotype specimen is comparatively small, with a wingspan of 1.32 metres (4.3 ft), and was probably young.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimodactylus> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 1775: American Revolutionary War: Continental Army colonel Henry Knox arrived at Fort Ticonderoga in New York to arrange the transport of 60 tons of artillery (depicted) to support the siege of Boston. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_train_of_artillery> 1807: Napoleonic Wars: British ships began a raid on Griessie after the Dutch captain refused a British demand for surrender. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Griessie> 1918: National Guards and Sokol volunteers protested in Zagreb, leading to an armed clash with regiments of the Home Guard and former Common Army. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_protest_in_Zagreb> 1958: Britain's first motorway, the Preston By-pass, opened to the public. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_By-pass> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: turbary: 1. (uncountable) Peatland from which peat or turf may be cut for fuel; (countable) a piece of such land; a peat bog. 2. (uncountable, by extension) 3. (law) In full common of turbary: the right to cut peat or turf from peatland on a common or another person's land. 4. (obsolete) Material extracted from peatland; peat. <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/turbary> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: Disneyland is often called a magic kingdom because it combines fantasy and history, adventure and learning, together with every variety of recreation and fun designed to appeal to everyone. --Walt Disney <https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Walt_Disney> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe write to: [email protected] Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
