New Jurᴀssic Pterosaur with Perfect Skeleton Discovered in Germany!

Paleontologists have unveiled Laueropterus vitriolus, a spectacular new early monofenestratan pterosaur from the Late Jurᴀssic Mörnsheim Formation of Bavaria, Germany, whose nearly complete and exquisitely preserved skeleton is rewriting our understanding of pterosaur evolution just before the rise of the pterodactyloids.

Described in May 2026 in PeerJ by David W.E. Hone and colleagues, the fossil was recovered from the Schaudiberg quarry near Solnhofen. The specimen includes a complete skull, neck, torso, wings, and tail — one of the most intact pterosaur skeletons ever found from the Jurᴀssic. At an estimated 1.2-meter wingspan, it bridges the gap between long-tailed “rhamphorhynchoid” pterosaurs and the later short-tailed pterodactyloids.

The animal displays a unique combination of primitive and advanced features: a long tail with elongated vertebrae, yet a more advanced shoulder girdle and wing proportions foreshadowing pterodactyloid flight. Its skull shows a low crest and specialized denтιтion suggesting it hunted insects or small fish over the ancient Solnhofen lagoons.

Lead author David Hone notes: “This is the most complete early monofenestratan skeleton we have. It finally gives us a clear picture of how the transition to short-tailed pterosaurs occurred.” The discovery also explains why adult pterosaurs are rare in Solnhofen — many may have lived farther from the lagoons.

The find underscores Bavaria’s status as the world’s premier Jurᴀssic Lagerstätte and fills a critical 20-million-year gap in pterosaur evolution. As CT scans and comparative studies continue, Laueropterus vitriolus promises to illuminate how these flying reptiles mastered the skies during the twilight of the Jurᴀssic. A perfect skeleton has delivered a perfect evolutionary link. (