New flying reptile fossil found in Arizona dates back 209 million years

An artist’s impression of a 209-million-year-old landscape in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, created using fossil evidence of ancient plants and animals from a remote site. (Image: Reuters)

A rare glimpse into prehistoric skies has emerged from Arizona. Scientists have identified a flying reptile species that lived around 209 million years ago, during the Late Triassic period.

Pterosaur Fossil Named After Volunteer Discoverer

The fossilised jawbone was first discovered in 2011 by Suzanne McIntire, a volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. More than a decade later, researchers have now named the creature Eotephradactylus mcintireae—a name meaning “ash-winged dawn goddess.” It honours McIntire and the volcanic ash that helped preserve the ancient bones.

"What was exciting about uncovering this specimen was that the teeth were still in the bone,” said McIntire. “So I knew the animal would be much easier to identify.”

The fossil was found in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Using modern micro-CT scanning, scientists confirmed that it belonged to a new species of pterosaur. They also verified that it is the oldest known species of its kind in North America.

Reptile Lived Alongside Dinosaurs and Armoured Fish

Eotephradactylus mcintireae was roughly the size of a small seagull. Researchers believe it likely fed on hard-shelled fish, as indicated by the wear seen on its teeth. These reptiles would have glided above ancient rivers and wetlands during the Late Triassic period.

Palaeontologist Ben Kligman from the Smithsonian Institution told the BBC, “The bones of Triassic pterosaurs are small, thin, and often hollow, so they get destroyed before they get fossilised.”

He added that this discovery proves such delicate remains can survive under the right conditions. “Our ability to recognise pterosaur bones in these ancient river deposits suggests there may be other similar deposits from Triassic rocks around the world that may also preserve pterosaur bones,” he said.

A New Chapter in Ancient Flight History

This rare find helps close a significant gap in the fossil record of early pterosaurs. It offers new clues about powered flight and how these reptiles adapted in a world dominated by dinosaurs. Scientists believe this discovery may lead to further finds in other Triassic-era rock formations worldwide.

(Inputs From Reuters)