Mystery of flying dinosaur cousins’ huge headcrest solved by scientists

Pterosaur discovery solves ancient mystery, say experts

An artist’s reconstruction of the feathered pterosaur Tupandactylus, showing the feather types along the bottom of the headcrest (Bob Nicholls )

The flying cousins of dinosaurs were able to change the colours of their feathers, researchers have found.

An international group of palaeontologists have discovered that pterosaurs, the first animals after insects to evolve powered flight, were able to control the colours using melanin pigments.

Pterosaurs lived side-by-side with dinosaurs, 230 million to 66 million years ago.