Paleontologists in New Zealand's South Island have described a new genus of giant feathered pterosaur from fossils found in Late Cretaceous marine strata. Named Aotearoadraco, the creature had a wingspan of over 7 meters and possessed a unique "proto-feather" coating designed for thermal regulation during long-distance trans-oceanic flights.
The fossil includes a nearly complete skull with a specialized beak for skimming fish, suggesting it occupied a niche similar to modern albatrosses but on a much larger scale. This discovery confirms that pterosaurs were a dominant part of the Southern Hemisphere's prehistoric skies.