Rare flying reptile fossil (pterosaur) from the Late Jurassic and the dangers of fossil collecting

Pterosaurs were flying reptiles which occupied the skies in the Late Jurassic when the Kimmeridge Clay Formation was deposited. They are incredibly rare fossils within this formation.

Steve discovered his first pterosaur bones in this formation under very trying circumstances.

The slab of rock he had to collect to ensure he had all the bones was large and very heavy (far heavier than you would expect based on the size of the prepared specimen now displayed in the museum).

The tide was coming in, daylight was fading quickly, and it was a long way back to safety. In the end he finally managed to get help from his family to recover the specimen safely just in time.

Once the specimen was prepared back in the lab it became clear it was a new species and so it was worth the effort. In addition, it had a broken arm/wing bone and this may explain why it fell into the Jurassic ocean to be revealed once again around 150 million years later.

Watch the full story by clicking on the You Tube video link above where this discovery is discussed in more detail.

The Etches Collection Museum is located in Kimmeridge, Dorset on the World Heritage Coast and contains a nationally accredited and designated collection of over 2500 fossils from the Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay Formation. The collection provides a major resource for education and research as well as being a major tourist attraction.