The ten centimetre long leg bone was first thought to belong to a previously known species of the ancient marine bird: Hesperornis, but after closer inspection it was determined to be a unique species, never seen before.

Two Japanese paleontologists, Kei-ichi Aotsuka and Tamaki Sato visited Morden in 2011 and studied fossils in the area for the next three summers. During their stay, they discovered that the specimen, first found in 1978, belonged to a totally new species of a Cretaceous Period marine diving bird.

They published a paper in the scientific journal Cretaceous Research announcing the discovery of a new species of Hesperornis which lay in the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre's collection.

The new species was named Hesperornis Lumgairi after Mr. David Lumgair on whose property the fossil was exumed.

"This is the first Lumgairi found in the world," said Victoria Markson, Field and Collection Manager at the CFDC, "and it [was] found here in Morden. That's pretty exciting."

Markson added that it was important for outside paleontologists to examine collections in other centres to support the staff who are often too busy to give extensive time to each specimen.

"What's great about having paleontologists come over from other regions, said Markson, " is they have fresh eyes so they can see these things and distinguish them."

The fossil used to identify Hesperornis Lumgairi as a new species is called a "holotype" and is the only holotype currently housed at the CFDC.

The Hesperornis was a type of flightless bird that could only survive in the water, not on land. It ate mostly fish and lived in the Western Interior Seaway of North America, ranging from as far north as Ellesmere Island to as far south as Arkansas.

 

pic(GALLERY): New_Fossil_At_CFDC