Pterosaur wing finger (OUMNH PAL-J.028263)3D Model
Lyme Regis, Dorset, England. Lower Jurassic. (~200 million years old).
This delicate bone was the third of four wing fingers belonging to the pterosaur Dimorphodon macronyx. Pterosaurs used the first three fingers to help them walk upright on land. However, the fourth finger was extremely long and supported the wing membrane in flight.
Mary Anning discovered Britain’s first pterosaur in Lyme Regis and her interest in the group was mirrored by Elizabeth Philpot who held fossil pterosaur specimens in her collection. In 1829, geologist William Buckland wrote a description of the pterosaur from the specimens held by both women and credited Mary in the paper. This was a rare acknowledgement of the role women played in scientific research during the Victorian era.
Specimen: OUMNH PAL- J.028263 Collections Online: https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/oum-catalogue-673262
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