If the movie Jurassic World is to be believed, pterosaurs could easily catch and eat human-sized prey. A newly discovered species of the prehistoric flying reptile wouldn’t have posed much of a threat to us, however, as it likely fed more like a modern-day sandpiper.

Named Leptostomia begaaensis, the “turkey-sized” creature lived during the Late Cretaceous epoch – 100.5 to 66 million years ago. It recently came to light when a team of paleontologists from Britain’s universities of Portsmouth and Bath discovered a fossilized section of its upper beak in Morocco.

Unlike those of other pterosaurs, however, Leptostomia’s beak was long, slim and toothless. In fact, the scientists initially thought that the fossil was a fin spine from a prehistoric fish. Its tell-tale texture, however, indicated that it came from a pterosaur. The team subsequently found other bones from the same animal, at the same dig site.

Because the long, slender beak is similar to those of present-day birds such as the sandpiper, kiwi, curlew and ibis, it is believed that Leptostomia fed in a similar fashion – this would have involved walking along the shores of rivers and estuaries, using the beak to probe in the sand and mud for prey including worms, crustaceans and small clams.

By conducting CT (computerized tomography) scans of the fossil, the researchers discovered that the feeding strategy was augmented by a network of canals in the beak. These canals contained specialized nerves that would have helped the reptile to locate prey that was hidden underground.

Because Leptostomia begaaensis’ beak was so unlike those of other pterosaurs, it is thought that paleontologists may have been uncovering the fossilized beaks for some time now, without realizing what they were from

https://newatlas.com/biology/leptostomia-begaaensis-pterosaur/

> Named Leptostomia begaaensis, the “turkey-sized” creature lived during the Late Cretaceous epoch – 100.5 to 66 million years ago. It recently came to light when a team of paleontologists from Britain’s universities of Portsmouth and Bath discovered a fossilized section of its upper beak in Morocco. Unlike those of other pterosaurs, however, Leptostomia’s beak was long, slim and toothless. In fact, the scientists initially thought that the fossil was a fin spine from a prehistoric fish. Its tell-tale texture, however, indicated that it came from a pterosaur. The team subsequently found other bones from the same animal, at the same dig site. Because the long, slender beak is similar to those of present-day birds such as the sandpiper, kiwi, curlew and ibis.

Hold it just a second. There were true birds around over the full range of 100.5 to 66 million years ago. Better make sure it wasn’t a relative of the Ostrich and Kiwi. What exactly do they mean by “tell-tale texture”?

mollwollfumble said:

> Named Leptostomia begaaensis, the “turkey-sized” creature lived during the Late Cretaceous epoch – 100.5 to 66 million years ago. It recently came to light when a team of paleontologists from Britain’s universities of Portsmouth and Bath discovered a fossilized section of its upper beak in Morocco. Unlike those of other pterosaurs, however, Leptostomia’s beak was long, slim and toothless. In fact, the scientists initially thought that the fossil was a fin spine from a prehistoric fish. Its tell-tale texture, however, indicated that it came from a pterosaur. The team subsequently found other bones from the same animal, at the same dig site. Because the long, slender beak is similar to those of present-day birds such as the sandpiper, kiwi, curlew and ibis.

Hold it just a second. There were true birds around over the full range of 100.5 to 66 million years ago. Better make sure it wasn’t a relative of the Ostrich and Kiwi. What exactly do they mean by “tell-tale texture”?

I would think they thought the other bones of the animal found at the same dig site confirmed its identification.

I think I was in an inappropriately cynical mood.

Let’s have a look at fossils FSAC-KK 5075 and FSAC-KK 5076.

Smith, R.E.; Martill, D.M.; Kao, A.; Zouhri, S.; Longrich, N.R. (2020). “A long-billed, possible probe-feeding pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: ?Azhdarchoidea) from the mid-Cretaceous of Morocco, North Africa”. Cretaceous Research. in press: Article 104643. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104643

sci-hub.st/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104643

I can’t see the figures properly, but it seems they’ve found beak and skull together. Which would suffice to confirm identity as pterosaur.