Dino card No. 0641 of 2,027

Europejara

Say it: yoo-roh-peh-JAH-rah

Name means: “Europe + Tapejara, meaning 'Europe's old being'”1

Ate: PlantsFlying reptilesEarly CretaceousNot technically a dinosaur

Europejara was a flying reptile with a big, bony crest on its chin that curved backwards. It lived in what is now Spain during the Early Cretaceous, about 130 to 125 million years ago. This pterosaur had no teeth and probably ate fruits and seeds.2 1

Fun fact: pterosaurs flew over the dinosaurs, but they were their cousins, not dinosaurs themselves.

Lived

126 to 121 million years ago3

Early Cretaceous

Fossils found in

Las Hoyas, Cuenca, Spain3 1

Wingspan

2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13 ft)1

estimate

Top speed

about 63 km/h (39 mph)

Flying, estimate

What did Europejara eat?

Scientists think it ate fruits and seeds, based on its toothless beak and the shape of its skull. It might have helped spread early flowering plants.

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

How wide were its wings?

wings as wide as 2 bicycles in a rowcould fly across a whole football pitch in 6 seconds

How big was Europejara compared to YOU?

Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

How fast was it?

A person walking about 5 km/h (3 mph)

A kid on a bike about 12 km/h (7 mph)

Europejara about 63 km/h (39 mph)

A galloping horse about 65 km/h (40 mph)

A cheetah about 100 km/h (62 mph)

cool stuff

Fun facts

Europejara is the oldest known toothless pterosaur, meaning it had no teeth at all.2

It was the first tapejarid pterosaur ever found in Europe. Before that, tapejarids were only known from China and Brazil.2

Europejara had a strange crest on its lower jaw that curved backwards, which is different from other tapejarids.2

Its wingspan was about 2 to 4 metres (6.6 to 13.1 feet), making it a medium-sized pterosaur.1

The only fossil found is a crushed skull and lower jaw, preserved in fine limestone from an ancient lake.2

Scientists think Europejara may have helped spread early flowering plants by eating their fruits and pooping out the seeds.2

AI-made picture of Europejara — An AI-made picture of how Europejara might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Europejara

?How big was Europejara?

It was a small to medium sized pterosaur. Its wingspan was about 2 to 4 metres (6.6 to 13.1 feet).1

?Did Europejara have teeth?

No, it had no teeth. It was the oldest known toothless pterosaur when it was discovered.1 2

?What did Europejara eat?

Scientists think it ate fruits and seeds, based on its toothless beak and the shape of its skull. It might have helped spread early flowering plants.1 2

?Why did Europejara have a crest?

Nobody knows for sure. It might have been used for aerodynamics, keeping cool, or showing off to other pterosaurs.1 2

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For dino experts

Scientific name: Europejara
Named by: Vullo et al. 20123
Group: Flying reptiles
Family / clade: Azhdarchoidea3
Classification: Pterosauria > Pterodactyloidea3
Age of the rocks: 126 to 121 million years (Barremian)3
Rock formations: La Huérguina3
Countries: Spain3
Fossil records: 1 in the Paleobiology Database3
Discovery: Europejara was named in 2012 by Romain Vullo and colleagues based on a skull found at Las Hoyas in Spain. The name means 'Europe's old being' and honors the ancient Olcades people.1 3
Still debated: Scientists are not sure if Europejara was a fruit-eater or an omnivore that also ate insects and small animals. The evidence from its beak shape is not enough to be certain.2

Where the facts come from

Europejara (en.wikipedia.org)
A New Crested Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Spain: The First European Tapejarid (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchoidea) | PLOS One (journals.plos.org)
Europejara in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are dino fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

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