A new genus of marine reptile has been identified from Jurassic-era sediment in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, revealing a species that possessed specialized membranes for gliding above the water's surface. The creature, named Pteropteryx atlantis, effectively bridges an evolutionary gap in marine adaptation, showing how ancient reptiles exploited the air-water interface to escape predators.
The fossil specimen includes a nearly complete skeleton with clear impressions of soft tissue wing-membranes extending from the forelimbs. Paleontologists suggest this species was an apex predator of the shallows, using its gliding ability to traverse between reef systems that existed in the region over 160 million years ago.