Darwinopterus modularis

Darwinopterus modularis was a crow-sized pterosaur that lived during the Jurassic Period, approximately 160 million years ago. It is significant because it possessed a unique combination of features from both more primitive and advanced pterosaurs.1

Pterosaurs, in general, were flying reptiles that existed throughout the Mesozoic Era. They were the first vertebrates to achieve flight, developing wings from a membrane of skin supported by an elongated fourth finger. Their bodies were compact with hollow bones to reduce weight, and they had large eyes, suggesting sight was their primary sense. Diets varied, with some pterosaurs straining plankton and others preying on fish and land animals.1

Darwinopterus had a head and neck structure similar to more advanced pterodactyloids, while its other skeletal features resembled earlier rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs. This "modular" anatomy provides evidence for how natural selection can affect different body structures at different rates.1