180-Million-Year-Old Pterosaur Discovered in Argentina Believed to be Earliest of Its Kind!

 

Very recently, a new species of pterosaur has been unearthed in the Chubut Province of Argentina. Given the name Melkamter pateko, the new discovery has been a game changer for paleontologists, altering their perspective on Pterosauria as a whole.

Drawing of Melkamter petako, by: Pedro Andrade

Pterosaurs are an extinct group of flying reptiles that were dominant throughout the Mesozoic era. These fascinating creatures, often confused with dinosaurs, were the first vertebrates to have achieved powered flight. Their wings, produced by an amalgamation of skin and muscle connected by tissues, allowed for quick travel.
During previous times, pterosaur fossils generally dating around the Mid Jurassic and Late Cretaceous periods were very common, with minimal evidence of any known species existing beforehand. The discovery of Melkamter pateko fascinated scientists, as it was approximately believed to be a staggering 15 million years older than any known species!    
                                                                                                                                         
There were two different types of pterosaurs, the first being the Basal pterosaurs (Non-Pterodactyloids). Characterized by their toothy jaws and long tails, the Basal pterosaurs were also equipped with wide wing membranes connected to their hind legs. Basal pterosaurs were the earliest confirmed type of pterosaur and were insectivores, primarily feasting on buggy snacks and the occasional small vertebrate. The second type of pterosaur was the much later and well-known Pterodactyloids. These reptiles generally had narrower wings and limbs that were not attached to their wing membrane. They had very small stubs in place for a longer tail, as well as long necks and large skulls. 

                                                                                  

Comparison image between Pterodactyloids and the Basal pterosaur group

Melkamter pateko was found to be part of the Basal pterosaur group, closely related to the Darwinoptera. The fossils uncovered by the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie and colleagues from Germany and Argentina during December 2024, are part of the cranium of Melkamter pateko. Close examination of the skull and neighboring bones revealed that Melkamter pateko is the oldest known member of the Monofenestrata clade, including the Pterodactyloids!   

                                                                                                                                                                                Along with that, the fossil was also discovered in an area that is far from marine or coastal environments, contradictory to scientists' beliefs at the time. It was thought that pterosaurs lived near aquatic habitats to prey on marine life generally in the Northern Hemisphere, but the introduction of Melkamter pateko suggests that pterosaurs may have evolved inland and down South, before reaching marine ecosystems.
In comparison to similar pterosaurs, Melkamter pateko most likely fed on agile insects, contributing to the evolutionary success of later Pterodactyloids in their ability to catch swift and nimble prey.
                                                                                                                                                                                     “This find highlights not only how little we still know about the pterosaurs of the Southern Hemisphere, but also the potential that the southern continents have to improve our understanding of pterosaur evolution”, Alexandra Fernandes, author of the study, said to the press. 
                                                   
Further information on the findings can be read in a report published by the Royal Society Open Science