This is a bit of an odd post, but one I had to share. I got an e-mail from Helmut Tischlinger late last night saying that press release was going out in Germany featuring a new pterosaur. It’s from Wattendorf, is being worked on for a description at the moment and it apparently going on display today at the Bamberg museum. That’s all I know. I’m assuming it’s from the Solnhofen proper and it’s clearly a pterodactyloid and most likely a ctenochasmatid based on those fantastic jaws.
However, it looks superb and Helmut was good enough to share this photo (on which he retains the copyright, do not reproduce etc. without permission) with me which he gave me permission to put up here. So here it is, enjoy.
New pterosaur. Image copyright Helmut Tischlinger.
That is just beautiful.
Spiegel online says, the Wattendorf fossils are 100.000 to 500.000 years older than those at Solnhofen:
http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/natur/wattendorf-forschern-gelingt-sensationeller-flugsaurier-fund-a-851928.html
Ah really? Maybe not then, interesting.
Splendid high-def picture. Am I seeing that right: the 2 halves of the skull spreading apart at the tip of the snout?
Yes that is what’s happening and I’m assuming it’s natural. Isolated jaws of Ctenochasma show the same sort of layout such that the jaws look rather like those of a spoonbill.
I have read the pterosaur has remains of fish in its stomach, is that right? I don’t think they’re visible in the picture if that’s true.
It’s news to me and I can’t see anything, doesn’t mean it’s not there though.
What an amazing fossil! I made an attempt at reconstructing the living animal, and would love to hear any comments or critiques from the community:
http://nathan-e-rogers.tumblr.com/image/32311786450