What do seagulls, ancient deserts, and flying reptiles have in common?
They all collided—209 million years ago—in a thriving, fish-filled ecosystem where Arizona now sits.
Scientists have just uncovered a treasure trove of fossils in Petrified Forest National Park.
These include North America’s oldest-known pterosaur: Eotephradactylus mcintireae.
Picture this—three-foot wingspan, curved fangs for fishing mid-flight, and a skull barely bigger than your hand.
This winged reptile soared long before birds or bats even dreamed of flight.
What Was It Like?
“This wasn’t a dinosaur-dominated world yet,” explained paleontologist Ben Kligman, lead author of the new study.
“Dinosaurs existed nearby, but this lush riverside ecosystem?
Not their scene.” Instead, it was ruled by lizard-like reptiles, early frogs, and one of the first turtles—creatures oddly familiar even today.
Discovered in volcanic ash-rich rock, these fossils offer a snapshot of life during a time of epic change.
This was after one mass extinction and just before another wiped out the pterosaur’s competition.
Seven of the 16 vertebrate species found were entirely new to science.
The takeaway? Before dinosaurs ruled the Earth, other incredible creatures had their moment in the sun—and in the sky.
And sometimes, the biggest stories are written in the smallest bones.
