In a recent research endeavor, a collaborative team of paleontologists from Brazil, Argentina, and the U.S. has made a significant discovery in paleontology. As detailed in their publication in the journal Nature, the team’s findings shed light on a novel species that predates pterosaurs—a group of flying reptiles that later dominated the skies during the late to middle Triassic period. This newly unearthed species, named Venetoraptor gassenae, represents a lagerpetid and is distinguished by its remarkably preserved partial skeleton embedded within a rock layer at a dig site in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Radiometric dating places the fossil at approximately 230 million years old.

The team’s analysis of the fossilized remains reveals intriguing insights into the morphology and ecological adaptations of V. gassenae. The creature’s skull exhibits a raptorial-like beak, distinguishing it from the later-evolving dinosaurs by an impressive 80 million years. Notably, the partial skeleton also showcases a substantial hand featuring elongated, sharp claws—indicating a departure from obligatory quadrupedal locomotion in these precursor lineages. This shift in locomotion patterns aligns with the broader theme of evolutionary exploration evident in the Venetoraptor specimen.

Furthermore, the discovery of V. gassenae holds implications for understanding the broader evolutionary landscape of ornithodirans—the group encompassing both dinosaurs and pterosaurs. By comparing the newly identified lagerpetid with other dinosaur and pterosaur precursors, the researchers unveil a significant morphological disparity within these early-diverging lineages. Notably, this disparity exceeds that observed among Triassic dinosaurs, implying that the selective survival of distinct ecomorphological variations influenced the success of pterosaurs and dinosaurs. Consequently, the findings challenge the notion that the morphological diversity of ornithodirans emerged solely after the advent of pterosaurs and dinosaurs, suggesting that the evolutionary flourishing of these lineages commenced much earlier among their early ancestors.

In summary, the fossil discovery of V. gassenae offers a comprehensive glimpse into the evolutionary trajectory of pterosaur precursors. The unique anatomical features observed in this well-preserved partial skeleton contribute valuable insights into early ornithodirans’ adaptive strategies and morphological diversity, reshaping our understanding of the factors underpinning the subsequent success of dinosaurs and pterosaurs.

References

• Müller, R. T., Ezcurra, M. D., Garcia, M. S., Agnolín, F. L., Stocker, M. R., Novas, F. E., Soares, M. B., Kellner, A. W. A., & Nesbitt, S. J. (2023). New reptile shows dinosaurs and pterosaurs evolved among diverse precursors. Nature, 620(7974), 589–594. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06359-z
• Yirka, B. & Phys.org. (2023, August 17). Researchers find fossilized nonflying precursor to pterosaur in Brazil. Phys.Org. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-fossilized-nonflying-precursor-pterosaur-brazil.html