A new species of Jurassic pterosaur has been discovered in Germany
Paleontologists in Germany have described a new genus and species of early pterosaur, whose remains were found in Bavaria.
The species in question is Laueropterus vitriolus, which lived approximately 150–143 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period.
The fossil skeleton is nearly complete and includes a significant portion of the skull, jaws, spine, and wings. According to scientists’ estimates, the pterosaur had a wingspan of about one meter, making it one of the largest members of its early evolutionary group.
The fossil was discovered in the Schaudiberg quarry in Bavaria.
According to the researchers, the new species belonged to a group of early monofenestrates—a transitional branch of pterosaur evolution that combined primitive and more advanced anatomical features.
The pterosaur was named Laueropterus in honor of René and Bruce Lauer for their contribution to the popularization of Bavarian fossils. The species name vitriolus refers to the distinctive porous structure of the specimen found.
Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to master active flight and appeared around 210 million years ago.
We previously reported that the recent discovery of two skeletons, both mutilated in the same way, suggests that limb amputation was used as a form of punishment during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in China, over 2,000 years ago.
We would also like to remind you that during excavations in the ancient city of Laodicea in the Turkish province of Denizli, which is included on UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Sites, a statue of Asclepius, the god of medicine in Greek and Roman mythology, and the head of a statue of his daughter Hygieia were discovered.
