Little Pterosaur Could Have ‘Pole-Vaulted’ into Flight from the Water

Paleontologists have wondered how pterosaurs launched themselves into the air since they were discovered more than 200 years ago. The idea of pterosaurs jumping into the air using a pole vault-like motion has been the focus of experts. The mystery of this technique is being solved thanks to a small pterosaur from Germany.

The sparrow-sized fossil, described by Natural History Museum of Los Angeles paleontologist Michael Habib and his colleagues in Scientific Reports, features unusually well-preserved bones and skin impressions of a pterosaur type called an aurorazhdarchid. The paleontologists used a process known as laser-stimulated fluorescence to detect the fossilized tissues, including a wing membrane and webbed feet. Analyzing these structures let the researchers determine how the pterosaur could have used them to take off.

This fossil's soft tissues are best interpreted as water-launch adaptation, rather than swimming gear, because prior research shows pterosaurs were not strong swimmers. The first evidence that pterosaurs could use quad launch was found in these structures. The skin impressions on the arms suggest that the pterosaur's wings could help push the reptile out of the water. The wings and webbed feet combined would have propelled the animal from a resting position.

Birds use their legs to move. Natalia Jagielska, who was not involved in the new study, said that pterosaurs had different proportions. Jagielska says that scanning other exquisitely preserved fossils with lasers and seeing if they can tell us a different story is a great reason.