Peteinosaurus

Peteinosaurus was a flying reptile - one of the first known pterosaurs from the Triassic period. From fossil finds palaeontologists know that its ability to fly was already well-developed. It had a very light-boned skeleton (100g!). Its wings consisted of skin stretched between an elongated finger on its hand, and its foot. They were attached to the length of its body and thigh. Peteinosaurus is one of the earliest vertebrates to show evidence of flying rather than gliding. It had a long straight tail, up to about 20 cms long (and a 60 cm wingspan), which it used for precise manoeuvring. This was made of vertebrae, strengthened with bone-like fibres. It had even-sized, sharp, cone-like teeth. It is most likely that it ate insects which it caught on the wing. Beautifully preserved Peteinosaurus fossils were discovered in rocks dating from the Triassic period, near Cene, in the Italian Alps. Pterosaurs are largely considered to be close cousins of the dinosaurs, but the absence of transitional forms means this is not entirely certain.