Pterosaurs often glide above dinosaurs, but recent examinations of fossilized footprints reveal that some of these flying reptiles were equally adept at terrestrial movement.
Terrestrial migration and tracking morphology of vegetative eye type skeletal morphology: (a) Reconstruction of the ctenochasmatoid orbit Ctenochasma elegans walking with an ipsilateral gait, where the fore and hind legs on the same side move together as a pair. (b) Manual and pedal morphology of Ctenochasma elegans; PES is plant and pentadactyl, while Manus is digital grade, functionally triductyl as the large fourth digit supporting the outer wing is folded during terrestrial movement. (c) Height map of pterosaur manus and PES footprints in the holotype of Ichnotaxon Pteraichnus stokesi, showing a form that matches Ctenochasma elegans; (d) height maps from part of the Pterosaur trackway; Pteraichnus ISP. From the Upper Jurassic Casal Formation of Claysac, France. An outline drawing of (e) interpretation of Pteraichnus ISP. Scale bar – 20 mm in (c), 200 mm in (d) and (e). Image credit: Smith et al, doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.017.
“We have been diligently working to enhance our understanding of these creatures,” stated Robert Smith, a doctoral researcher at the University of Leicester.
“These findings provide insights into their habitats, movement patterns, and daily activities in ecosystems long since vanished.”
In this research, Smith and his team identified three distinct types of pterosaur footprints, each offering insights into various lifestyles and behaviors.
By correlating footprints with specific groups, a robust new method emerges to study how these flying reptiles thrived, migrated, and adapted to diverse ecosystems over time.
“Finally, 88 years after the initial discovery of Pterosaur tracks, we have pinpointed precisely who created them and how,” remarked Dr. David Unwin, Ph.D., from Leicester.
Perhaps the most striking revelation comes from a group of pterosaurs known as Neoazdalci. Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest flying creatures, boasts a wingspan of 10 meters.
Their footprints have been found in both coastal and inland areas worldwide, supporting the theory that these long-legged animals not only soared through the skies, but also inhabited the same environments as numerous dinosaur species.
Some of these tracks date back to an asteroid impact event 66 million years ago, coinciding with the extinction of both pterosaurs and dinosaurs.
Ctenochasmatoids, recognized for their elongated jaws and needle-like teeth, left footprints primarily found in coastal sediments.
These animals likely walked along muddy shores or shallow lagoons, employing unique feeding strategies to capture small fish and floating prey.
The prevalence of these tracks suggests that these coastal pterosaurs were far more common in these habitats than than the rare fossilized remains.
Another type of footprint was located in rock formations, where fossilized remains of the same pterosaur were also found.
The close association between footprints and skeletons offers compelling evidence for identifying the track makers.
These pterosaurs, known as Dsungaripterids, possessed robust limbs and jaws; their toothless, curved beaks were adept at securing prey, while their large, rounded teeth were ideal for crushing shellfish and other resilient foods.
“Footprints are often overlooked in Pterosaur studies, yet they yield a wealth of information about the behaviors and interactions of these creatures with their environment,” emphasized Smyth.
“A detailed analysis of these footprints allows us to uncover biological and ecological insights that other methods may not provide.”
The team’s paper was published in the journal Current Biology.
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Robert S. Smith et al. Identifying Pterosaur track makers provides crucial insights into Mesozoic terrestrial invasions. Current Biology, published online on May 1, 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.017
Source: www.sci.news
