95-Million-Year-Old Pterosaur Fossil Discovered in Egypt

A fossil of a pterosaur dating back more than 95 million years has been documented for the first time in Egypt, following an Egyptian-led international study based on remains uncovered in the Bahariya Oasis Depression in the Western Desert.

Published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, the research establishes the country's first confirmed fossil record of pterosaurs—flying reptiles that lived alongside dinosaurs—and adds new evidence to the fossil history of North Africa.

Researchers said the discovery helps complete the picture of the Cretaceous ecosystem in the Bahariya Oasis Depression while providing fresh insights into the evolution and distribution of pterosaurs across a region that remains relatively understudied.

According to science communicator Shadi Abdelhafez, pterosaurs were a distinct group of reptiles, separate from both dinosaurs and birds, with membranous wings supported by an elongated fourth finger. Based on the size of the fossilised bone, researchers estimate the animal had a wingspan of around four metres, making it a medium-sized pterosaur. Abdelhafez added that the fossil was originally discovered in 2018.

The research was led by scientists from Mansoura University under Dr Hesham Salam, founder of the Mansoura University Vertebrate Palaeontology Centre (Salam Lab). The study's lead author, Bilal Salem, is a PhD student at Ohio University and an assistant lecturer at Benha University.

The project was carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in the United States.