The Earth was dominated by pre-historic reptiles during the Mesozoic Era, which lasted about 180 million years, offering scientists a valid reason to call it the age of reptiles. Fortunately, an intact braincase was discovered along with the fossil remains, giving scientists a better chance at looking into the neuroanatomy of the creature more closely.
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An artist’s representation of the Jurassic pterosaur Allkauren koi.
The neuroanatomy of Pterosaurs has remained shrouded in mystery however, the effect of a paucity of three dimensionally preserved remains.
Selected skeletal elements of Allkaruen koi: braincase, mandible and cervical vertebra.
In order to study the neurocranial anatomy, the researchers used computed tomography to observe, in three dimensions, the cranial endocast and the inner ear.
Named Allkauren koi, the newly-discovered winged reptile is represented by several skeletal elements including an nearly flawless, three-dimensionally preserved braincase that shows a unique combination of characters shared with both pterodactyloids and breviquartossans (non-pterodactyloids).
Different view of the brain case of the pterosaur are shown here.
The models let scientists determine Allkaruen’s place in the pterosaur family tree, along with other information. Their bones were feather-light, and they sported air sacs extending from their lungs to keep their body density down and their air exchange efficient, a 2009 study found.
This group had an extraordinary adaptation to flight, including pneumatic bones to lighten its weight, and an elongated digit supporting the wings.
Pterosaurs had strong adaptations that made them strong fliers. “As a result, this research makes an important contribution to the understanding of the evolution of all of pterosaurs”. For instance, the researchers learned that some skull features associated with Pterodactylus – one genus of pterosaurs – had evolved by the early to middle Jurassic, even though pterodactyls themselves had not yet evolved.The research appears today (Aug. 30) in the open-access journal PeerJ.
The fossil of Allkaruen koi was found in northern central Chubut Province, Patagonia Argentina and the remains included a superbly preserved and uncrushed braincase.
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A group of scientists found a fossilized skull believed to be that of the oldest pterosaur or flying reptile from the early Jurassic period at the bottom of a lake in Argentina’s Patagonia region.
