The fossil of a bird that roamed the earth likely around 11 million years ago was discovered in a museum in Connecticut.
The previously unknown dinosaur fossil was found in Nebraska in 1933 and has been housed in the Bruce Museum without any scientists studying it in the past, according to the Connecticut Post. (RELATED: 2 New Dinosaur Species Discovered, Nearly Size Of Blue Whale)
The fossil, Centuriavis lioae, was introduced in the Journal of Paleontology this week after paleontologists discovered that the fossil was from a little bird. The bird was identified and named by Bruce Museum Curator Daniel Ksepka and Curatorial Associate Kate Dzikiewicz, two paleontologists at the museum, according to the outlet.
The name is inspired by Suzanne Lio, the chief operating officer and managing director of the Bruce Museum, according to the outlet. Centuriavis means “century bird” and lioae is the Latin version of Lio’s name.
The fossil was actually found in 1933 in Nebraska and was housed at a Connecticut museum for decades, officials said.
But no scientist had undertaken a study of the fossil remains of the bird that roamed the earth about 11 million years ago.https://t.co/jejSRI0t47
— Connecticut Post (@connpost) October 23, 2022
The paleontologists at the museum used hi-tech scanning technology to study skeletal features and reconstruct the brain’s shape, according to the outlet.
The bird is a phasianid species similar in size to a modern sage-grouse, providing historical context in the lineage of these creatures, according to the Journal of Paleontology.