200 million year-old flying reptile species found

undefined 8, 2025

Source: bbci

Scientists discovered a new pterosaur species, *Eotephradactylus mcintireae*, from a 209-million-year-old jawbone found in Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park. This seagull-sized flying reptile is the earliest pterosaur found in North America. Its worn teeth suggest it ate armored fish. The fossil site reveals a snapshot of a Triassic ecosystem where extinct and modern animal groups coexisted, showing an important evolutionary transition.

Share on