Ever seen a 250 million-year-old prehistoric 'flying dragon'?

Whoever said there was no such thing as dragons?

Stefan Meng, geologist and research assistant at the Institute for Geography and Geology at the University of Greifswald showed off a 250 million-year-old copper-slate plate with a prehistoric flying dragon (Coelurosauravus jaekeli) imprinted on the side during a press conference in Germany on 22 February 2013.

Coelurosauravus jaekeli - aka Weigeltisaurus jaekeli - is considered the oldest known reptile that could glide (as opposed to actually flying).

The coelurosauravus jaekeli (meaning "hollow lizard grandfather") had specialised wing-like structures allowing it to glide; these were rod-like structures with skin stretched over them.

The average length of the specimens was 40 centimetres (16in) and the body was long and flat, suitable for gliding.

The skull was lizard-like with a pointed snout and contained a broad back with a serrated crest, superficially resembling the crests of ceratopsian dinosaurs.

It lived during the Permian period in what is now Germany and Madagascar.

Cool, huh?

See more weird and wonderful modern-day creatures here:

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