“Ash-Winged Dawn Goddess” Newest Flying Reptile Unearthed in Arizona

Scientists working in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, have announced the discovery of Eotephradactylus mcintireae, a newly identified species of pterosaur, ancient flying reptiles that shared the skies with early dinosaurs. This new find dates back to the Late Triassic period (~209 million years ago), and now holds the title of the oldest known pterosaur specimen from North America.

Dating back to 209 million years ago, this fossil allows us to see what life was like before the evolution of flying-bird like reptiles into the birds we see today, right after the Permian extinction and before the Jurassic boom.

The species had a seagull-sized wingspan (~1 m), with a jaw filled with sharp, curved teeth perfect for catching river-dwelling fish. They would have been about a size that could’ve sat on your shoulder.

In Arizona, the fossils were found in an river which transported deposits rich in volcanic ash. The fossil reflects sudden burial, helping preserve a snapshot of prehistoric life. Unlike most fossil deposits, which consist of scattered bones, volcanic ash can bury organisms so fast that their skeletons remain intact, with bones still joined together in their natural positions to form life-like death poses.

Beyond just a new species, this pterosaur discovery came with a cast of characters: seven other unfamiliar vertebrates, including early turtles, frogs, and freshwater sharks. But, notably, there were no dinosaurs showing up here. This absence supports the idea that dinosaurs hadn’t yet spread into this ecosystem, which allowed other reptile species to thrive.

It was named to honor both the volcanic ash setting (“ash-winged dawn goddess”) and fossil preper Suzanne McIntire, because the heroes behind the scenes matter too. Suzanne McIntire volunteered for 18 years in the FossiLab at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum before discovering the jawbone of the fossil. The new species, Eotephradactylus mcintireae, is named in her honor.

Eotephradactylus mcintireae isn’t just another fossil, its a messenger from a distant past. It tells us how early flyers lived, hunted, and coexisted with other animals before the age of the dinosaur.