A mysteriously large pterosaur finally has an identity

One pterosaur type gave itself rather nan makeover arsenic it grew older and larger.

Scientists person spent much than a period wondering if a ample and anatomically quirky flying reptile fossil represented a chopped type from its overmuch smaller peers. Not so, researchers study January 2 successful PeerJ. The Jurassic “giant,” they argue, is a superlative for this species. The findings thief uncover really nan extinct fliers whitethorn person warped physically and ecologically complete their lives.

Rhamphorhynchus was a snaggle-toothed pterosaur that lived successful parts of what is now Europe and Africa during nan Jurassic Period astir 150 cardinal years ago. It’s 1 of nan best-known pterosaurs, pinch good complete 100 fossilized remains known to science. 

But 1 astir complete fossil skeleton unearthed successful nan mid-1800s from limestone deposits successful confederate Germany stood retired from nan rest. Most big Rhamphorhynchus had a wingspan successful nan 1-meter range, comparable to that of a crow. But this typical fossil was acold larger, pinch an eaglelike wingspan. The fossil had initially been treated arsenic a chopped species, but successful 1995, 1 intelligence projected that each known Rhamphorhynchus alternatively belonged to a azygous species, R. muensteri. Yet nan conspicuously king-sized illustration near lingering doubts, says David Hone, a paleontologist astatine Queen Mary University of London.

“This point is large and weird,” he says. “Maybe this is a different species, and we’ve not really looked astatine it properly.”

Silhouettes picture reconstructions of size and wingspan from fossil specimens of Rhamphorhynchus: anti-clockwise from apical left, A – nan smallest individual known, C – a “typical” adult, D – nan 2nd largest individual yet found, and B – nan largest, “giant” individual. D.W.E. Hone and S.N. McDavid/PeerJ2025Silhouettes picture reconstructions of size and wingspan from fossil specimens of Rhamphorhynchus: anti-clockwise from apical left, A – nan smallest individual known, C – a “typical” adult, D – nan 2nd largest individual yet found, and B – nan largest, “giant” individual. D.W.E. Hone and S.N. McDavid/PeerJ 2025

Hone and independent paleontologist Skye McDavid conducted a heavy dive connected nan mysterious skeleton, evaluating its eccentricities.

The researchers made elaborate measurements of nan skull and assemblage of nan fossil, comparing them to different Rhamphorhynchus specimens. The squad did find plentifulness of unsocial characteristics. In life, nan animal would person had a 1.8-meter wingspan, making it complete 60 percent larger than each but 1 of nan largest known Rhamphorhynchus. The oculus sockets were besides proportionally smaller, and nan skull openings down nan eyes were bigger. 

But nan researchers reason that these and different features are successful statement pinch nan stepwise shifts successful proportions that pterosaurs and different animals spell done as they get larger. The Jurassic jumbo appears to beryllium what R. muensteri yet grows into. 

“It’s a very cool specimen,” says Natalia Jagielska, a paleontologist astatine nan Lyme Regis Museum successful Dorset, England. “I’m gladsome it yet has been described successful detail, not conscionable successful passing.”

One of nan astir fascinating features of nan fossil are its teeth. Other, smaller R. muensteri had interlocking, needlelike teeth pinch information transverse sections, Hone says. The supersized specimen had curiously broad, flattened teeth. Hone thinks nan compressed style of nan teeth, coupled pinch nan animal’s wide ample size, intends it was eating something different than what its smaller cousins ate.

The wee versions of nan pterosaurs ate mini shrimp and food says Hone. For nan colossal adult, specified snacks “just autumn betwixt its teeth.”

Its fare whitethorn person included much terrestrial prey, for illustration lizards aliases mini mammals. As a result, larger R. muensteri may person besides spent little clip adjacent nan ocean, heading inland on rivers and estuaries. This benignant of separation into different ecological niches pinch property would person been mostly unavoidable for animals for illustration pterosaurs and dinosaurs, Hone says, since they started arsenic very mini hatchlings and are thought to person grown passim their full lives.

“Every azygous shape of life is simply a somewhat different animal,” Jagielska says.

Dave Unwin, a paleontologist astatine nan University of Leicester successful England, isn’t connected committee pinch nan thought that nan older, larger individuals whitethorn person changed their eating habits aliases residence. The anatomy of nan pterosaur is “wholly unsuited” for foraging successful terrestrial environments, he says, and nan skeletal and bony differences successful nan large pterosaur are amended explained arsenic nan consequence of having nan predictably heavier build that comes pinch expanding size overall.

Either way, activity for illustration this tin thief researchers amended understand really pterosaurs grew passim their lives, says Rudah Duque, a paleontologist astatine nan Federal University of Pernambuco successful Recife, Brazil.

“For galore years, galore [pterosaur] type were described, sometimes without bully criteria, arsenic location were fewer materials for comparison, generating a plethora of taxa that often correspond individuals of nan aforesaid species, but of different ages aliases sexes,” Duque says. Recent finds crossed different life stages person boosted researchers’ knowing of pterosaur biology much generally, he says. “But we still person overmuch to discover.”