What we discuss in this episode

• This episode centers on three interconnected questions:

  • How and when did powered flight evolve in vertebrates?

  • What exactly were pterosaurs—and how were they different from dinosaurs, birds, and bats?

  • What can a 22% complete fossil tell us about life 100+ million years ago?

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  Setting the Geological Stage

  Earth’s history is divided into eons, eras, and periods based on major changes recorded in the rock record—often marked by mass extinctions.

  • Mesozoic Era (251–66 million years ago):
    The age of reptiles, including dinosaurs and pterosaurs

  • Cretaceous Period:
    The final chapter of the Mesozoic, ending with the K–Pg extinction event

  • Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago–present):
    The age of mammals

  Pterosaurs first appeared over 220 million years ago in the late Triassic and remained part of Earth’s skies until the end of the Cretaceous.

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  What Were Pterosaurs?

  Pterosaurs were not flying dinosaurs, though they lived alongside them and were closely related. Together with dinosaurs, they belong to a larger group called Ornithodira.

  Key characteristics discussed in the episode include:

  • Wings supported by a single, elongated fourth finger

  • A wing membrane made of skin, not feathers

  • Hollow, lightweight bones optimized for flight

  • Body plans distinct from both birds and bats

  Some pterosaurs reached truly extreme sizes, including Quetzalcoatlus, with wingspans approaching 10 meters—making them the largest animals ever to fly.

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  Diet, Ecology, and Fossil Bias

  One of the challenges in studying pterosaurs is that their fragile skeletons fossilize poorly. As a result, abundance in the fossil record does not necessarily reflect how common they were in life.

  Based on available evidence, pterosaurs likely occupied a wide range of ecological niches:

  • Insect eaters

  • Fish eaters

  • Scavengers

  • Possible fruit or filter feeders

  The episode highlights how fossil preservation bias complicates attempts to reconstruct ancient ecosystems.

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  The Discovery of Haliskia peterseni

  The centerpiece of the episode is the discovery and description of Haliskia peterseni—one of the most complete pterosaur specimens known from Australia.

  Key details include:

  • Discovered in November 2021 in Queensland

  • Approximately 22% complete, which is exceptional for pterosaurs

  • Includes rare, delicate bones that are seldom preserved

  • Found by Kevin Peterson of Kronosaurus Korner

  The fossil was later described in a peer-reviewed study published in Scientific Reports, expanding what is known about Australian pterosaurs and Gondwanan ecosystems.

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  From Fieldwork to Publication

  The conversation also explores the research process itself:

  • Preparing fragile fossils

  • Using CT scanning and synchrotron imaging

  • Collaborating with museums and international researchers

  • Writing and submitting multiple peer-reviewed papers during a PhD

  This provides a behind-the-scenes look at how paleontology actually works—far beyond the popular image of fossil discovery alone.

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  Why This Episode Matters

  Pterosaurs challenge many assumptions about biology and physics—especially what is possible in flight. Their diversity, scale, and evolutionary success remind us that past life on Earth was often stranger and more extreme than anything alive today.

  This episode also highlights how much remains undiscovered, particularly in under-sampled regions like Australia.

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  Episode Format

  • Long-form scientific interview

  • Paleontology and evolutionary biology

  • Geological time context

  • Research and discovery process

Topics & Keywords

pterosaurs, evolution of flight, paleontology podcast, Haliskia peterseni, Australian fossils, Cretaceous period, Gondwana, prehistoric life, pterosaur anatomy, fossil discovery