Peteinosaurus

Fossil of Peteinosaurus zambellii at the Natural History Museum in Bergamo.

• Cene (Italy )

Peteinosaurus (Size: Peteinos = winged, sauros = lizard ) is a genus of pterosaurs from the Upper Triassic of Italy. The only known fossils of two species with its type species P. zambelli Wild ( 1978) is one of the oldest discovered to date pterosaurs. The holotype consists of isolated, non-preserved in the anatomical context skull and other skeletal elements. The second copy of the skull is missing. Both are kept in the Natural History Museum in Bergamo. Peteinosaurus is a direct ancestor of the Lower Jurassic pterosaur Dimorphodon policy.

Features

Peteinosaurus had a wingspan of 60 inches. The blades have been relatively short, and only twice as long as the rear legs. The first phalanx was shorter than the forearm. The Phalangenformel is 2.3.3.4.0.

The number of cervical vertebrae is unknown. Before the sacrum Peteinosaurus had 15 dorsal vertebrae, one of which contributed 13 ribs. The three sacral vertebrae were not fused together. The long tail was supported 30-40 vertebrae.

Peteinosaurus teeth were unicuspid and flattened, with sharp cutting edges at the front and rear. In the lower jaw, he had about 40 teeth, of which at least two large fangs forward. The upper jaw and the rest of the skull are unknown.

Probably Peteinosaurus fed on insects or fish.