Peteinosaurus

Peteinosaurus is an extinct genus of small pterosaurs from the Late Triassic of what is now northern Italy. Its slender wings and long tail distinguish it among early pterosaurs.

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Pterosaur: An extinct group of flying reptiles whose wings were formed by a membrane supported mainly by an elongated fourth finger. Peteinosaurus belongs to this group, among its earliest known members.
Pterosaur fossil: Fossilized remains or traces of a pterosaur, often preserving fragile wing bones and membranes only rarely. Peteinosaurus is known from fragmentary fossils, so its anatomy depends on interpreting preserved bones.
Late Triassic: The final epoch of the Triassic Period, spanning roughly 237 to 201 million years ago. Peteinosaurus is dated to this interval, when pterosaurs first appear in the fossil record.
Dimorphodon: A Jurassic pterosaur genus with a large head, deep jaws, and a long bony tail. Its more robust skull and later age contrast with the slender Triassic Peteinosaurus.
Triassic: The first period of the Mesozoic Era, lasting from about 252 to 201 million years ago. Peteinosaurus lived in the Late Triassic, before the Jurassic pterosaur radiations.
Cene quarry: A fossil locality near Cene in Lombardy, Italy, known for Late Triassic vertebrate remains. The known Peteinosaurus fossils come from this locality.
Pterosaur evolution: The evolutionary history of pterosaurs, from their Triassic origins to their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous. Peteinosaurus contributes evidence about the diversity of the earliest known pterosaurs.
Pterodactylus: A pterosaur genus from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen limestone of Germany, with a short tail and elongated metacarpals. Its short-tailed body plan contrasts with Peteinosaurus's long-tailed early-pterosaur form.
Pterosaur flight: The active powered flight of pterosaurs, enabled by muscular wings supported by elongated fourth fingers. Its wing anatomy places Peteinosaurus within the earliest known experiments in powered vertebrate flight.
Eudimorphodon: An early pterosaur genus from Late Triassic deposits in northern Italy, notable for multicusped teeth. It lived in the same region and period, but its robust toothed jaws contrast with Peteinosaurus.