Fossils of two pterosaur hatchlings, dating back approximately 150 million years, have provided insight into their tragic demise during a violent storm, according to recent findings by paleontologists. The delicate remains, discovered in the Solnhofen limestones of southern Germany, reveal not only the circumstances of their death but also highlight the rarity of such fossil preservation.
The hatchlings, identified as members of the Pterodactylus genus and informally named Lucky I and Lucky II, were remarkably preserved, complete and articulated, suggesting they were buried shortly after their deaths. Rab Smyth, a paleontologist from the University of Leicester, emphasized the significance of this discovery. “Pterosaurs had incredibly lightweight skeletons. Hollow, thin-walled bones are ideal for flight but terrible for fossilization,” he stated. The preservation of these bones, along with evidence of their death, is an unprecedented find.
The Upper Jurassic Solnhofen platy limestones have yielded a plethora of pterosaur specimens, yet most are juvenile. This raises the question of why fragile young bones are more frequently found in this region compared to adult specimens. The researchers hypothesized that the two tiny pterosaurs might help solve this mystery.
Both hatchlings, measuring less than a modern mouse, exhibited broken wing bones, with fractures indicating they experienced significant trauma. Researchers suggest that these injuries occurred due to the powerful winds of a storm that ultimately led to their deaths. As the storm intensified, the winds likely swept the young pterosaurs into the lagoon, where they sank and were quickly buried by sediment, preserving their remains for millions of years.
The study indicates that older pterosaurs, being more robust, would have been able to withstand such storms. In contrast, the weaker juvenile pterosaurs were unable to survive. This explains the prevalence of juvenile fossils in the region, as they were more vulnerable during adverse weather conditions.
Smyth noted, “For centuries, scientists believed that the Solnhofen lagoon ecosystems were dominated by small pterosaurs. But we now know this view is deeply biased. Many of these pterosaurs weren’t native to the lagoon at all.” The research suggests that these juvenile pterosaurs were likely from nearby islands and were caught in the storm.
The team’s findings, published in Current Biology, provide a clearer understanding of the conditions that contributed to the fossilization of these remarkable creatures. This discovery not only sheds light on the life and death of the hatchlings but also offers significant insights into the ecological dynamics of the Jurassic period.
In conclusion, the preservation of Lucky I and Lucky II serves as a crucial piece of the puzzle in understanding the life cycle of pterosaurs and the environmental factors that influenced their fossilization. The research opens new avenues for exploring the complex interactions within ancient ecosystems and the impacts of catastrophic weather events on prehistoric life.
