Researchers at the Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center, known as "Salam Lab," have documented the first confirmed fossil evidence of pterosaurs in Egypt [1].
The discovery fills a significant scientific gap and provides new insight into the prehistoric ecosystem of North Africa. By confirming the presence of these flying reptiles, scientists can better reconstruct the biological diversity of the region during the Late Cretaceous period.
The team recovered a wing bone from the Bahariya Oasis, located within the marine basins of the Western Desert [1], [2]. The fossilized remains are estimated to be approximately 95 million years old [1]. This timeframe places the creature in the Late Cretaceous epoch, a period characterized by diverse dinosaur populations and shifting coastlines.
According to the researchers, this find resolves a scientific mystery that has persisted for more than 150 years [1]. While other prehistoric creatures had been identified in the region, the lack of confirmed pterosaur remains left a void in the understanding of Egypt's ancient aerial fauna.
The Salam Lab researchers said the discovery demonstrates a complete and integrated ecosystem that existed in Egypt millions of years ago [1]. The presence of pterosaurs suggests a complex food web involving both terrestrial and aquatic environments, as these creatures typically hunted in or near water sources.
This evidence marks a turning point for Egyptian paleontology, shifting the region from a site of sporadic finds to a documented habitat for flying reptiles [2]. The wing bone serves as the primary physical proof required to validate the existence of these species in the Bahariya region.
“The discovery fills a significant scientific gap and provides new insight into the prehistoric ecosystem of North Africa.”
The confirmation of pterosaurs in Egypt transforms the paleontological map of the Late Cretaceous. By bridging a 150-year data gap, this discovery allows scientists to synchronize Egyptian fossil records with those of other continents, potentially revealing migration patterns and evolutionary adaptations of flying reptiles in the African corridor.
