New flying reptile fossil Darwinopterus modularis found in China

Researchers have found fossils of a new type of flying reptiles said to have lived over 160 million years ago.

Photo: Darwinopterus modularis; Image credit: Mark Witton

The flying reptile (pterosaur) fossil, that were found in the Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning Province of China, has been dubbed Darwinopterus modularis by researchers.

The 20 new Darwinopterus modularis fossils show remarkable similarities to primitive pterosaurs (rhamphorhynchoids) and advanced Pterosaurs.

The Rhamphorhynchoids had long jaws with sharp teeth and long tails. The later pterosaurs had smaller tails and some were without teeth.

Darwinopterus modularis skull photo; Image credit: D.M. Unwin

The Darwinopterus modularis is a hawk-like reptile that has a head and neck similar to that of advanced pterosaurs. But it also has a long tail with 27 vertebrae and a long fifth toe that is found in the primitive pterosaurs.

The Darwinopterus modularis thus looks like a hybrid of the two types of pterosaurs.

Photo: Darwinopterus modularis fossil specimen; Image credit: D.M. Unwin

Researchers think that the Darwinopterus modularis could be the missing evolutionary link between the early and advance pterosaurs.

The discovery of the Darwinopterus modularis fossil could just be the evidence of the much-debated modular evolution theory, according to which different parts of the anatomy can evolve at separate rates compared to each another.

The research was conducted by researchers from the UK and from the Geological Institute in Beijing, China, and is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal.

The research has been published in the journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B.