Preondactylus
Name:
Preondactylus
(Preone finger).
Phonetic: Pre-on-dak-ty-lus.
Named By: Rupert Wild - 1983.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia,
Pterosauria, Rhamphorhynchoidea, Rhamphorhynchidae.
Species: P. bufarinii
(type).
Type: Piscivore/Insectivore.
Size: 45 centimetre wingspan.
Known locations: Italy, Preone Valley.
Time period: Late Triassic.
Fossil representation: 2 confirmed individuals
plus a possible specimen preserved as a fish pellet.
Preondactylus
is another contender for earliest pterosaur although new discoveries
are constantly challenging this. One feature that confirms the basal
placement of Preondactylus is the short wings,
since as
pterosaurs evolved
the wings became proportionately larger. The hind legs are also very
long in relation to the total body length.
The
diet of Preondactylus has been difficult to
determine with certainty
with most researchers sitting on the fence between piscivore and
insectivore. While Preondactylus does seem to be
associated with a
marine environment, it does not mean that one should just come to the
conclusion that Preondactylus was a fish eater.
The
name Preondactylus comes from the Preone region of
Italy where is was
discovered, and combined the Greek 'dactylus' or 'finger',
in reference to the wing construction. The holotype specimen
suffered a lot of damage when it was recovered however when the slab it
was on broke apart during extraction. Also when cleaned, much of
the specimen was washed away leaving just an impression in the stone.
This was not a total disaster however as a very simple method of
employed to reveal Preondactylus. Silicone was
poured into the
impression and allowed to set. Once solid, the researchers just had
to pull the moulding off and the bones of Preondactylus
were revealed
once again.
The
most exciting discovery that may possibly represent another specimen of
Preondactylus is a disarticulated mass of bones.
Although it might
not sound like much to get excited about, this mass of bones is
actually a gastric pellet from a the predatory fish Saurichthys.
Many
fish cannot
digest or excrete bone, so once the flesh has been digested the bones
and other indigestible material is regurgitated in the form of a
pellet, like how an owl will eat mice, but bring up the fur and
bones in the form of a pellet. Unfortunately no one can say for
certain if these remains really are attributable to Preondactylus
as
the only thing that can be said about this specimen is that it comes
from roughly the same area as the holotype specimen. However the
presence of this pellet does at least prove that while pterosaurs often
fed upon fish, it sometimes worked the other way around.
Further reading
- A new pterosaur (Reptilia, Pterosauria) from the Upper Triassic
(Norian) of Fruili, Italy. - Gortania, Atti del Museo Friulano di
Storia Naturale 5:45-62. - R. Wild - 1984.
- Pterosaur remains in a gastric pellet from the Upper Triassic
(Norian) of Rio Seazza Valley (Udine, Italy). - Gortiana — Atti Museo
Friuliano di Storia Naturale. 10: 121–132. - F. M. Dalla Vecchia, G.
Muscio & R. Wild - 1988.
- New observations on the osteology and taxonomic status of
Preondactylus buffarinii Wild, 1984 (Reptilia, Pterosauria). -
Bollettino della Societa Paleontologica Italiana 36(3, 1997): 355-366.
- F. M. Dalla Vecchia - 1998.
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