In a limestone quarry, a creature named Propterodacylus frankerlae has emerged, providing a missing piece of the “monster era”.
According to Sci-News, Propterodacylus frankerlae has established a new genus and species within the lineage of pterosaurs, the flying monsters that dominated the skies during the age of dinosaurs.
It is an “intermediate” creature, promising to explain the transition from early Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs to the gigantic, extremely dangerous pterosaurs of the Late Cretaceous.
Flying monster Propterodacylus frankerlae – (Photo: PALAEONTOLOGIA ELECTRONICA).
According to the description in the scientific journal Palaeontologia Electronica, similar to early pterosaurs, this flying reptile has a moderately long skull, measuring about 9 cm, and a wingspan of 55 cm, which is comparable to that of a large modern bird.
This contrasts significantly with the Late Cretaceous pterosaurs, which had wingspans exceeding meters, with some standing 4-5 meters tall.
The new creature also features a very short tail and a diminutive fifth toe that serves a purpose with its two flexible joints.
The fossils were excavated from the Rygol limestone quarry near Painten, Bavaria, Germany, including a complete skeleton with fully articulated joints and remaining soft tissues in the body and wing fibers.
Dr. Frederik Spindler from the Altmühltal Dinosaur Museum (Germany) noted that pterosaurs are among the oldest vertebrates capable of flight, having undergone a highly successful evolutionary process throughout the Mesozoic era.
Throughout the long history of research on this group of monsters, any specimen could be classified into one of two main types: long-tailed Rhamphorhynchoidea ancestors and short-tailed Pterodactyloidea derived from long-tailed species.
A convincing transitional form between these main types had yet to be identified until the discovery of the Wukongopteridae group in China and England.
However, there were still missing links.
Propterodacylus frankerlae has filled that gap, with its anatomical structure being an almost perfect combination of characteristics from Rhamphorhynchoidea, Wukongopteridea, and Pterodactyloidea.
Additionally, it exhibits features that reflect a gradual evolutionary transition, including the elongation of the “hand” bones and the reduction of the fifth toe, all contributing to the development of more robust and flexible wings and limbs in later pterosaurs.
