Brazilian And Syrian Scientists Uncover Colossal 10-Meter Pterosaur: Forgotten Fossil Surprises After 20 Years And Reaches 90% Of The Size Of The Largest Flying Animal Ever Recorded

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 23/10/2025 at 11:23

Imagem: Ilustração artística / Tempo.com

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Rediscovered Fossil In Syria Reveals Giant Pterosaur With Wingspan Of Up To 10 Meters — 90% The Size Of The Legendary Quetzalcoatlus — In Research Led By Brazilian Scientists That Expands The Map Of World Prehistory

A group of Brazilian and Syrian scientists announced the rediscovery of one of the largest pterosaurs ever identified on the planet. The fossil, originally found between 2003 and 2004 in a phosphate mine near the city of Palmyra, Syria, went unnoticed for years.

Only now, with a detailed analysis, have researchers managed to comprehend the grandeur of the prehistoric animal.

The discovery, located at the Port of Latakia in the Middle East, drew attention for revealing that the flying reptile had dimensions comparable to those of the legendary Quetzalcoatlus northropi, considered the largest flying animal of all time.

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Brazilian Participation In The Discovery

The research was led by the Syrian-Brazilian paleontologist Wafa Adel Alhalabi from the University of São Paulo (USP), and included collaboration from Brazilian researchers Felipe Pinheiro from the Federal University of Pampa (Unipampa), and Max Cardoso Langer, also from USP.

The study was published in the scientific journal The Science of Nature.

The fossil belongs to a pterosaur from the family Azhdarchidae, known for housing giant species that dominated the skies during the Mesozoic period.

The team reconstructed the animal based on a single bone from its arm — the humerus — and from it estimated its impressive wingspan of up to 10 meters.

In addition to its colossal size, the study is significant because it represents the first record of a pterosaur found in Syrian territory, significantly expanding the global map of these creatures.

Pterosaur: A Giant Of The Skies Of The Middle East

Pterosaurs were not dinosaurs, but flying reptiles that dominated the skies millions of years before the emergence of birds.

They were the first vertebrates capable of active flight, a skill now restricted to birds and bats.

The Syrian specimen stands out not only for its size but also for the environment in which it lived.

According to Alhalabi, the fossil was found in marine-origin rocks, which is unusual for azhdarchids, who typically inhabited continental and riverine regions.

This discovery suggests that the animal could explore coastal areas, perhaps soaring over seas in search of food.

The hypothesis reinforces previous indications of similar fossils identified in Jordan and Morocco, suggesting that these giants also adapted to marine environments.

Paleontological Potential Of Syria

Even though a single bone is not enough to describe a new species, scientists do not dismiss the possibility that this pterosaur represents a still-unknown animal to science.

Other fossils from the same era are being studied, and researchers plan to continue excavations to unveil more about the prehistoric fauna of the Middle East.

For paleontologist Max Cardoso Langer, the discovery “reveals the immense, yet still underexplored, paleontological potential of Middle Eastern countries like Syria.”

The finding reinforces the role of international cooperation and highlights the scientific importance of regions that, despite being little investigated, may hide some of the greatest secrets of Earth’s natural history.

With information from Tempo.com.

Brazilian And Syrian Scientists Uncover Colossal 10-Meter Pterosaur: Forgotten Fossil Surprises After 20 Years And Reaches 90% Of The Size Of The Largest Flying Animal Ever Recorded

Rediscovered Fossil In Syria Reveals Giant Pterosaur With Wingspan Of Up To 10 Meters — 90% The Size Of The Legendary Quetzalcoatlus — In Research Led By Brazilian Scientists That Expands The Map Of World Prehistory

Brazilian Participation In The Discovery

Pterosaur: A Giant Of The Skies Of The Middle East

Paleontological Potential Of Syria

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Brazilian And Syrian Scientists Uncover Colossal 10-Meter Pterosaur: Forgotten Fossil Surprises After 20 Years And Reaches 90% Of The Size Of The Largest Flying Animal Ever Recorded

Rediscovered Fossil In Syria Reveals Giant Pterosaur With Wingspan Of Up To 10 Meters — 90% The Size Of The Legendary Quetzalcoatlus — In Research Led By Brazilian Scientists That Expands The Map Of World Prehistory

Brazilian Participation In The Discovery

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Paleontological Potential Of Syria

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