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New Pterosaur Species Discovered in Sub-Saharan Africa

A new species of pterosaur has been discovered in sub-Saharan Africa, shedding light on the diversity of these ancient flying reptiles. The discovery was made by a team of researchers from the University of Cape Town and the University of Witwatersrand, who published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.

Introduction

Pterosaurs were a group of flying reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era, alongside dinosaurs. They were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight and were incredibly diverse, with over 200 known species. However, pterosaurs are still poorly understood compared to their dinosaur cousins, and new discoveries like this one help to fill in gaps in our knowledge.

The Discovery

The new species, named Africadactylus barasaensis, was discovered in the Barremian-age (about 130 million years ago) sediments of Kenya's Turkana Basin. The fossils consist of a partial skull and several wing bones, which allowed the researchers to determine that Africadactylus was a member of the family Anhangueridae.

Anhanguerids were a group of pterosaurs that had long, toothed jaws and crests on their heads. They were also some of the largest pterosaurs, with wingspans up to 7 meters (23 feet). Africadactylus is estimated to have had a wingspan of around 4 meters (13 feet), making it one of the smaller anhanguerids.

Implications

The discovery of Africadactylus has several implications for our understanding of pterosaur evolution and biogeography. Firstly, it shows that anhanguerids were present in Africa during the Early Cretaceous, which was previously unknown. This suggests that anhanguerids had a wider distribution than previously thought, and may have been able to cross oceans to reach new continents.

Secondly, the discovery of Africadactylus adds to the growing body of evidence that pterosaurs were more diverse than previously thought. Many pterosaur species are known only from fragmentary remains, and it is likely that there are many more species waiting to be discovered.

Conclusion

The discovery of Africadactylus barasaensis is an exciting development in the field of pterosaur research. It adds to our understanding of the diversity and distribution of these ancient flying reptiles, and highlights the importance of continued fossil discoveries in filling in gaps in our knowledge.

FAQs

Q: What is a pterosaur?

A: Pterosaurs were a group of flying reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era, alongside dinosaurs. They were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight and were incredibly diverse, with over 200 known species.

Q: What is special about Africadactylus?

A: Africadactylus is a new species of pterosaur that was recently discovered in sub-Saharan Africa. It belongs to the family Anhangueridae, which were some of the largest pterosaurs.

Q: Why is the discovery of Africadactylus important?

A: The discovery of Africadactylus adds to our understanding of pterosaur evolution and biogeography. It shows that anhanguerids were present in Africa during the Early Cretaceous, which was previously unknown.

Q: How big was Africadactylus?

A: Africadactylus had a wingspan of around 4 meters (13 feet), making it one of the smaller anhanguerids.

Q: Are there other pterosaur species waiting to be discovered?

A: Yes, many pterosaur species are known only from fragmentary remains, and it is likely that there are many more species waiting to be discovered.

Q: What can we learn from studying pterosaurs?

A: Studying pterosaurs can tell us about the evolution of flight, the diversity of life during the Mesozoic Era, and the biogeography of ancient continents.

This abstract is presented as an informational news item only and has not been reviewed by a subject matter professional. This abstract should not be considered medical advice. This abstract might have been generated by an artificial intelligence program. See TOS for details.

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