Beipiaopterus

Beipiaopterus had a missing bone in its wing finger: the fourth phalanx was absent. Scientists think this was normal for this pterosaur, not a fossil mistake.1

Fossils of Beipiaopterus preserved soft parts, including wing membranes, a mane on its neck, and webbing between its toes.1

A study of its wing membrane using a scanning electron microscope found many blood vessels. This suggests the wings helped control body temperature.1

Beipiaopterus lived about 125 to 119 million years ago, during the Barremian and Aptian ages of the Early Cretaceous.2

The only known fossil of Beipiaopterus is a partial skeleton of a subadult, missing the skull. It includes neck, back, hip, and tail bones, plus a complete left wing and both hind legs.1

Scientists disagree on exactly where Beipiaopterus fits in the pterosaur family tree. Some think it was a basal member of the Ctenochasmatidae, while others place it in a more advanced group called Pterodaustrini.1