Pterosaur Research in Brazil
A study published in the scientific journal iScience describes the discovery of a fragment from the left wing of a pterosaur, found in Brazil's Lower Cretaceous Romualdo Formation. This fossil, preserved for 113 million years, offers a rare chance to examine organic biomarkers that survived due to a unique soft-tissue preservation mechanism.
The wing fragment features hollow bones similar to those of modern birds, allowing researchers to gain deeper insights into the lifestyle of these reptiles. Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria played a key role in preserving the organic materials within the fossil. The study also revealed that this pterosaur's diet included:
- terrestrial food sources;
- marine prey, such as fish and cephalopods like squid.
Professor Kliti Grice from Curtin University remarked: 'This fossil is a true time capsule, marking the first time in the history of molecular paleontology that organic biomarkers from a flying reptile have been preserved.'
For the first time at the molecular level, this research sheds light on the diet of pterosaurs, making it a significant contribution to the study of ancient species.
This discovery represents an important step in understanding ancient reptiles and their way of life, providing new data on their evolution and ecological relationships. The study underscores the value of fossils not just as physical artifacts but as sources of molecular information that could greatly alter our understanding of evolutionary processes in Earth's history.
In addition to this remarkable pterosaur find, recent research has unveiled a million-year-old ancestor of the Kakapo in Australia. This discovery not only highlights the diverse evolutionary history of flightless birds but also emphasizes the importance of fossil records in understanding ancient ecosystems. Such findings are crucial for piecing together the complex web of life that existed millions of years ago.