EXTREMELY RARE FLYING DINOSAUR
Pterodactylus kochi
Jurassic
Solnhofen, Bavaria, Germany
The lithographic limestone deposits of the Solnhofen area are categorized as a Konservat-Lagerstätten, a fossil deposit where the soft parts of prehistoric organisms are preserved as impressions or casts or, in the case of this specific locality, through a lithographic process of transference to the limestone. This is only possible under conditions where a covering of mud-silt excludes oxygen from the dead organism, thus drastically reducing the rate of decay and allowing the soft tissue a greater chance of preservation. Fossil specimens from this area are amongst the most beautiful and sought-after in the world, but amongst the variety of prehistoric life to be found preserved here, by far the most popular, and amongst the very rarest, are the remains of the flying pterosaur. Due to the delicate lightweight construction of their hollow-boned skeletons, a characteristic essential to their flying abilities, they are rarely preserved in the fossil record. This spectacular specimen represents one of the few finds of a well-articulated Pterodactylus. It features an excellent skull, 3¼ inches in length, boasting many sharp and pointed teeth. The quality of the preservation is so fine that one can even distinguish many of the tiny claws on the feet. Pterodactyli, or "flying dinosaurs", flourished during the Upper Jurassic period, and were the first vertebrates in the process of transition to winged flight. Two characteristics make them unique and clearly different from reptiles: warm blood and a coat of hair. It is believe that it skimmed the surface of the prehistoric waters, using its long beak to scoop up fish, frogs and insects into a throat pouch, much like that of a pelican. When the present specimen died millions of years ago, it was probably due to strong winds over the Solnhofen lagoons, an archipelago on the edge of the Tethys Sea, which would have prevented it from returning to the shore despite its comparatively large wingspan; the soft carbonate mud that would immediately have covered it allowed for the preservation of the fine detail visible here, and over the years, transformed into the famed Solnhofen lithographic limestone, so uniquely fine that it is still today the only suitable rock for lithographic printing. This superb specimen is presented on a matrix measuring 9½ x 8¼ inches.

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