Pterodactylus Antiquus: The First Pterosaur, From Sea Monster to Winged Finger

Discover the tale of Pterodactylus antiquus, the first pterosaur named in 1809, and how a tiny fossil sparked a centuries-long puzzle. Meet Calini, Hermann, and Cuvier as we trace the birth of pterosaur science, the chaos of wastebasket taxa, and what the skeleton reveals about a daytime, generalist hunter with a 1-meter wingspan. We’ll explore how the public came to call all flying reptiles “pterodactyls,” and why the scientific story behind the word is so much richer.

Note:  This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes.  Please double-check any critical information.

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