Storm-caused bone breaks in small Solnhofen pterosaurs: Smyth et al 2025
Smyth et al 2025 reported,
“Storms caused these [small, mistakenly considered immature] pterosaurs to drown and rapidly descend to the bottom of the water column, where they were quickly buried in storm-generated sediments, preserving both their skeletal integrity and soft tissues. Among these storm-sampled individuals, we document two highly immature specimens of Pterodactylus exhibiting similar oblique humeral fractures. These fractures are consistent with excessive wing loading during flight, providing compelling evidence of super-precocial flight capabilities in immature pterosaurs.”
“Neonatal examples of Pterodactylus antiquus: MBH 250624-03 and SNSB-BSPG 1993 XVIII 1508.”
Quoting the paper:
“It is generally accepted that the smallest individuals of Pteordactylus [sic] are osteologically immature, with several identified as neonates, though these assignments remain untested.”
“Generally accepted” is not good science. It implies laziness, reliance on myth, consensus and tradition – AND omission of competing hypotheses.
Good science requires more of our academic pterosaur experts: Perform a phylogenetic analysis – like the large pterosaur tree (LPT, 264 taxa).
Professionals should be leading the way here. That’s their job.
Figure 1. Small pterosaur tested by Smyth et al 2025: MBH-250624-07 insitu, plate and counterplate. Skull reconstructed. See figure 2.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07insitu588.gif?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07insitu588.gif?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-94388″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07insitu588.gif” alt=”Figure 1. Small pterosaur tested by Smyth et al 2025: MBH-250624-07 insitu, plate and counterplate. Skull reconstructed. See figure 2.” width=”584″ height=”412″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07insitu588.gif?w=584&h=412 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07insitu588.gif?w=150&h=106 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07insitu588.gif?w=300&h=212 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07insitu588.gif 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Small pterosaur tested by Smyth et al 2025: MBH-250624-07 insitu, plate and counterplate. Skull reconstructed. See figure 2. Arrow points to broken humerus. Orange box enlarges a wing tip and its ungual.
Many genera of pterosaurs
are recovered from the Solnhofen limestone. I thought we had put a stop to using ‘wastebasket taxa’, like ‘Pterodactyus‘. Evidently not.
Don’t write your next paper without performing a wide gamut phylogenetic analysis.
Figure 2. Skull of MBH_250624-07 in situ and reconstructed.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh_250624-07-skull588.jpg?w=269″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh_250624-07-skull588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-94390″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh_250624-07-skull588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Skull of MBH_250624-07 in situ and reconstructed.” width=”584″ height=”652″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh_250624-07-skull588.jpg?w=584&h=652 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh_250624-07-skull588.jpg?w=134&h=150 134w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh_250624-07-skull588.jpg?w=269&h=300 269w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh_250624-07-skull588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Skull of MBH_250624-07 in situ and reconstructed.
Actually pterosaur neonates had adult proportions, only 8x smaller.
(See figures 7 and 8). So these small Solnhofen taxa were not long-snouted Pterodactylus antiquus (Fig 3) neonates. The tested taxa had skull lengths of 25 and 33mm. The smallest adult pterosaur, B St 1967 I 276, (Fig 2) has a skull length of 15mm, and about the overall size of an extant bee hummingbird. Details here.
The authors ‘eyeballed’ the small pterosaurs and cherry-picked a purported adult taxon.
Figure 1. Reconstruction of Pterodactylus antiquus made prior to Tischlinger 2020.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pterodactylus_antiquus-n4-1.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pterodactylus_antiquus-n4-1.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-47020″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pterodactylus_antiquus-n4-1.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Reconstruction of Pterodactylus antiquus made prior to Tischlinger 2020.” width=”584″ height=”564″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pterodactylus_antiquus-n4-1.jpg?w=584&h=564 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pterodactylus_antiquus-n4-1.jpg?w=150&h=145 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pterodactylus_antiquus-n4-1.jpg?w=300&h=290 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pterodactylus_antiquus-n4-1.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 3. Reconstruction of Pterodactylus antiquus made prior to Tischlinger 2020.
After phylogenetic analysis
MBH 250624-07 nested with small, similar pterosaurs, like B St 1967 I 276 (Fig 3) nesting at the base of the Germanodactylidae in the large pterosaur tree (LPT, 265 taxa).
Figure 2. The smallest bird, bat (Craseonycteris) and pterosaur at full scale when viewed on a 72dpi monitor.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallest_pterosaur_bat_bird588.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallest_pterosaur_bat_bird588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-75415″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallest_pterosaur_bat_bird588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. The smallest bird, bat (Craseonycteris) and pterosaur at full scale when viewed on a 72dpi monitor.” width=”584″ height=”546″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallest_pterosaur_bat_bird588.jpg?w=584&h=546 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallest_pterosaur_bat_bird588.jpg?w=150&h=140 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallest_pterosaur_bat_bird588.jpg?w=300&h=281 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallest_pterosaur_bat_bird588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 4. The smallest bird, bat (Craseonycteris) and pterosaur at full scale when viewed on a 72dpi monitor.
Smyth et al reported,
“Much of the fossil content of the Solnhofen Archipelago is linked to storm events. The tetrapod assemblage is overwhelmingly dominated by aerial taxa.”
Figure 4. Figure 2 from Smyth et al 2025 mistakenly plotting ontogeny in Pterodactylus antiquus, when in reality this plots phylogeny.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/false-growth-series-pterodactylus588.jpg?w=151″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/false-growth-series-pterodactylus588.jpg?w=516″ class=”size-full wp-image-94393″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/false-growth-series-pterodactylus588.jpg” alt=”Figure 4. Figure 2 from Smyth et al 2025 mistakenly plotting ontogeny in Pterodactylus antiquus, when in reality this plots phylogeny. ” width=”584″ height=”1158″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/false-growth-series-pterodactylus588.jpg?w=584&h=1158 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/false-growth-series-pterodactylus588.jpg?w=76&h=150 76w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/false-growth-series-pterodactylus588.jpg?w=151&h=300 151w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/false-growth-series-pterodactylus588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 5. Figure 2 from Smyth et al 2025 mistakenly plotting ontogeny in Pterodactylus antiquus, when in reality this plots phylogeny.
“Due to extreme taphonomic bias, no complete skulls of mature individuals have been recovered.”
This is false because the premise (change during ontogeny in pterosaurs) is false.
Actually, immature specimens of Solnhofen pterosaurs are rare. Only one juvenile Rhamphorhynchus has been identified. All others are small adults after phylogenetic analysis.
Figure 5. Two small pterosaurs to scale: MBH 250624-07 in situ and BSt 1967 I 276 – n6 in the Wellnhofer catalog. Both are adults.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07-n6.588.jpg?w=285″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07-n6.588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-94395″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07-n6.588.jpg” alt=”Figure 5. Two small pterosaurs to scale: MBH 250624-07 in situ and BSt 1967 I 276 – n6 in the Wellnhofer catalog. Both are adults.” width=”584″ height=”614″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07-n6.588.jpg?w=584&h=614 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07-n6.588.jpg?w=143&h=150 143w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07-n6.588.jpg?w=285&h=300 285w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mbh-250624-07-n6.588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 6. Two small pterosaurs to scale: MBH 250624-07 in situ and BSt 1967 I 276 – n6 in the Wellnhofer catalog. Both are adults. The latter was not mentioned in Smyth et al 2025.
The Smyth et al paper also promotes the myth
of the bat-wing pterosaur with their figure 1. Co-author Unwin has been doing this since his Sordes days in Unwin and Bakhurina 1994, later invalidated by Peters 1995 and 2002.
Figure 1. Click to enlarge. There are several specimens of Zhejiangopterus. The two pictured in figure 2 are the two smallest above at left. Also shown is a hypothetical hatchling, 1/8 the size of the largest specimen.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-12235″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Click to enlarge. There are several specimens of Zhejiangopterus. The two pictured in figure 2 are the two smallest above at left. Also shown is a hypothetical hatchling, 1/8 the size of the largest specimen.” width=”584″ height=”394″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg?w=584&h=394 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg?w=150&h=101 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg?w=300&h=202 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg?w=768&h=518 768w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/zhejiangopterus-size1000.jpg 1000w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 7. There are several specimens of Zhejiangopterus. The two pictured in figure 2 are the two smallest above at left. Also shown is a hypothetical hatchling, 1/8 the size of the largest specimen.
Smyth et al reported,
“developmental profiles for known embryos and neonates are marked by character states indicating absent or incomplete ossification of skeletal elements (e.g., carpals and tarsals), unfused epiphyses and diaphyses (e.g., wing phalanx 1 and proximal extensor tendon tubercle), and lack of co-ossification of discrete elements (e.g., maxilla and premaxilla).”
This profile assumes an archosaur or archosauriform origin for pterosaurs, which is a false assumption. Peters 2007 nested pterosaurs and ancestors like Huehuecuetzpalli within Lepidosauria.
Figure 1. The V263 specimen compared to other Pterodaustro specimens to scale.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/pterodaustro-size-comparison2-588.jpg?w=203″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/pterodaustro-size-comparison2-588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-26572″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/pterodaustro-size-comparison2-588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. The V263 specimen compared to other Pterodaustro specimens to scale.” width=”584″ height=”862″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/pterodaustro-size-comparison2-588.jpg?w=584&h=862 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/pterodaustro-size-comparison2-588.jpg?w=102&h=150 102w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/pterodaustro-size-comparison2-588.jpg?w=203&h=300 203w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/pterodaustro-size-comparison2-588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 8. The V263 specimen compared to other Pterodaustro specimens to scale.
It is unfortunate and embarrassing for paleontology
that academic pterosaur experts continue to ignore relevant taxa, to ignore relevant citations, and to continue to hope that pterosaur neonates had a smaller snout and larger orbits than cherry-picked adult taxa. No one wants to test this assumption with a phylogenetic analysis that includes small-sized Solnhofen pterosaurs (Peters 2007), with and without a broken humerus.
It may well be that small adult pterosaurs
suffered broken arms more often. However, assuming small adults were juveniles based on unossified or under-ossified joints ignores the fact that pterosaur clades, like Germanodactylidae (in this case) had their genesis with phylogenetically miniaturized adults, as is common throughout the Vertebrata. Precocious (prior to complete ossification at a smaller size) sex leads to small eggs and smaller generations that likewise don’t fuse their joints. This is a paradigm shift pterosaur experts refuse to consider.
Find this out yourself by adding traditionally omitted small pterosaur taxa to your pterosaur cladogram.
References
Peters D 1995. Wing shape in pterosaurs. Nature 374, 315-316.
Peters D 2002. A New Model for the Evolution of the Pterosaur Wing – with a twist. – Historical Biology 15: 277–301.
Peters D 2007. The origin and radiation of the Pterosauria. In D. Hone ed. Flugsaurier. The Wellnhofer pterosaur meeting, 2007, Munich, Germany. p. 27.
Smyth RSH, Belben R, Thomas R and Unwin DMW 2025. Fatal accidents in neonatal pterosaurs and selective sampling in the Solnhofen fossil assembly. Current Biology, 35,
1–14.
Unwin DM and Bakhurina NN 1994. Sordes pilosus and the nature of the pterosaur flight apparatus. Nature 371: 62-64.
reptileevolution.com/pterosaur-wings.htm
reptileevolution.com/pterodactylus-n6.htm
Publicity
sci.news/paleontology
Another look at the smallest adult pterosaur – AND its hatchling
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/09/06/storm-caused-bone-breaks-in-small-solnhofen-pterosaurs-smyth-et-al-2025/
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
LION'S MANE PRODUCT
Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules
Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.
Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
| Visits: | 1,724,531,513 |
| Stories: | 8,487,953 |
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
