doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2024.106046
Credibility: 989
#pterosaur
For the first time, scientists have discovered a new species of pterosaur in Japan, named Nipponopterus mifunensis
The discovery, made by researchers from Japan, China and Brazil, highlights the country’s rich prehistoric history and is the result of an international collaboration.
The pterosaur, which lived in the Late Cretaceous period, about 90 million years ago, was identified from a piece of neck bone (cervical vertebra) found in the 1990s in the Kumamoto region of Kyushu Island, southern Japan.
After detailed studies using CT scans at Kumamoto University and analyses of evolutionary kinship, scientists confirmed that the bone belongs to a new species in the Azhdarchidae family, which includes some of the largest flying animals in history.
The fossil is now on display at the Mifune Dinosaur Museum in Kumamoto, providing the public with a glimpse into prehistoric life in Japan.
Importance for Japanese Paleontology
“This discovery is a major breakthrough for paleontology in Japan,” said Dr. Naoki Ikegami of the Mifune Dinosaur Museum.
“Until now, no pterosaurs had been officially identified from bones found in the country.
This find helps us better understand the diversity and evolution of pterosaurs in East Asia.”
Nipponopterus mifunensis had an estimated wingspan of 3 to 3.5 meters and lived during the Turonian and Coniacian stages of the Late Cretaceous, making it one of the earliest known members of its evolutionary lineage.
Unique Features
The neck bone of Nipponopterus mifunensis has unique features that set it apart from other pterosaur species.
It has a raised dorsal ridge that runs the length of the bone, a long groove on the underside, a triangular shape at one end, and unusually positioned bony projections (postexapophyses) that point out to the sides.
These features show that Nipponopterus is unlike any other pterosaur in the family Azhdarchidae.
Analysis suggests that it is closely related to a mysterious pterosaur from Burkina, Mongolia, and the giant Quetzalcoatlus from North America.
International Collaboration
The study, published in the scientific journal Cretaceous Research, involved researchers from Shihezi University (China), the Zoology Museum of the University of São Paulo (Brazil) and Japanese institutions such as the Mifune Dinosaur Museum, Kumamoto University and Hokkaido University.
They combined expertise in fossil analysis, imaging technology, modeling and evolutionary studies.
“It is a beautiful example of how science connects people from different countries,” highlighted Professor Toshifumi Mukunoki, from Kumamoto University.
This discovery not only enriches knowledge about pterosaurs, but also reinforces the importance of global collaboration to unravel the mysteries of the past.
Published in 06/20/2025 21h26
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption. Information about DOI, author and institution can be found in the body of the article.
Reference article:
Original study:
| Geoprocessing Drone Systems HPC |
| ERP and CRM Systems Mobile Systems AI |