New Pterosaur Species Discovered in Arizona

Scientists have identified a new species of flying reptile, Eotephradactylus mcintireae (“ash-winged dawn goddess”), from a jaw fossil first unearthed in Arizona in 2013 using modern scanning technology.

• The fossil, preserved in volcanic ash on an ancient riverbed, is believed to be 209 million years old, making it the oldest known pterosaur ever found in North America.
• The discovery was made by researchers from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, who also found bones, teeth, fish scales, and fossilised dung (coprolites) at the site.
• The seagull-sized pterosaur’s teeth showed heavy wear at the tips, suggesting it fed on hard-bodied prey, likely primitive ....