Skifosoura Baybaritsa is a type of pterosaur that lived in what is now southern Germany about 149 million years ago, bridging the gap with earlier organisms. monophenestratan pterosaur and after that pterosaur.

For 200 years, paleontologists have divided pterosaurs into two major groups: the early non-pterodactyls and the later, much larger pterodactyls.

Early pterosaurs had short necks, short heads, short bones at the wrists of the wings, fifth toes and long tails, but pterosaurs had the opposite: long necks, large heads, long wrists, and long tails. It had a short fifth finger. Toes and short tail.

However, it was unclear which parts of the body changed between these groups.

In the 2010s, a series of intermediate species called Darwinopterans were discovered, showing that their heads and necks changed before the rest of their bodies.

This was a great example of an intermediate individual filling an evolutionary gap.

But it also meant that we didn't really know what was happening before and after these changes.

Skifosoura Baybarica I'm going to sit between these earlier. Darwinopteran and pterodactyloid.

Although it retains a very pterodactyl-like head and neck, it has also been shown to have longer wrists and shorter toes and a tail than early Darwinpterans, but these are not as extreme as seen in pterodactyls. Not.

“This is an incredible discovery,” said lead author Dr. David Horne, a paleontologist at Queen Mary University of London.

“This will really help us understand how these amazing flying animals lived and evolved.”

“We hope this study will provide a basis for further future research on this important evolutionary transition.”

“Pterosaurs have long been symbols of a unique past life,” says co-author Dr. Adam Fitch, a paleontologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“Skifosoura Baybaritsa This represents an important new form for elucidating the evolutionary relationships of pterosaurs and, by extension, how this lineage arose and changed. ”

Almost complete, but fragmented specimen Skifosoura Baybaritsa It was discovered in 2015 in the Schaudiberg quarry near Mülheim, Bavaria, Germany.

Although specimens are preserved in three dimensions, most pterosaurs tend to be crushed flat. When alive, it had a wingspan of about 2 meters (6.6 feet), which is thought to have been similar to that of large birds such as golden eagles.

Co-author Dr René Lauer of the Lauer Foundation said: “The specimens were disjointed and often had overlapping bones of varying quality.''

“Digital photographs of the specimens taken in both visible and ultraviolet light greatly aided the process of identifying these elements and better analyzing details that cannot be discerned in normal sunlight alone.”

“The Lauer Foundation is proud to have the opportunity to bring this important specimen to science and further our understanding of pterosaur evolution,” added co-author Dr. Bruce Lauer of the Lauer Foundation. .

In addition to indicating the intermediate position of Skifosoura Baybaritsait has also been shown to be a species of Scottish pterosaur. dearkfits into a mirror position between early pterosaurs and the first Darwinopterans.

“In other words, we now have a complete evolutionary sequence from early pterosaurs to pterosaurs. dearkto the first Darwinopteran Skifosoradown to the pterodactyls,” the paleontologist said.

“Although not all specimens are complete, we are now able to track increases in head and neck size, wrist extensions, toe and tail reductions, and other features step-by-step across multiple groups. .”

“This is a great example of the evolution of a group whose transition has so far been far from clear-cut.”

“both deark and Skifosora It also suggests that the changes that allowed pterosaurs to reach giant sizes were also present in these transitional species. ”

of study Published in today's magazine current biology.

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david william elliott horn others. A new large monophenestratan reveals an evolutionary transition from pterosaurs to pterosaurs. current biologypublished online on November 18, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.023