Germany’s Oldest Pterosaur Lands at Dinopark Teufelsschlucht

(eap) In the summer of 2025, a spectacular discovery was made at Dinosaurierpark Teufelsschlucht: three tiny teeth of the pterosaur Eudimorphodon were found. “At around 210 million years old, they represent the oldest evidence of this ancient animal group ever found in Germany – and the first discovery in Rhineland-Palatinate. The find and its scientific examination, conducted in cooperation with the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage Rhineland-Palatinate and the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg, have attracted nationwide attention – not least because the teeth were discovered by visitors as part of the citizen science project ‘Triassic Lab: On the Trail of Dinosaurs in the Bonebed’,” according to Felsenland Südeifel GmbH, a tourism organization in the region.

To quite literally bring the pterosaur back to life, detailed replicas of the animal were created. The lifelike 3D models of the Eudimorphodon were the result of close collaboration between palaeontologists, palaeo-artists and model makers, and were produced by the company Wolter Design based in Rehburg-Loccum, Germany. Using modern 3D modelling techniques, scientific findings from the tooth discoveries as well as from the only complete skeleton of Eudimorphodon known to date – found in Italy – were incorporated into an accurate digital reconstruction of the living creature. Highly precise 3D prints of the anatomical base structures were then artistically refined to give the model its lifelike appearance in terms of colouring, skin texture and eye shape.

“Eudimorphodon was about the size of a modern seagull, had a long tail with a sail-shaped tip and a jaw with numerous differently shaped teeth,” explains the park’s palaeontologist, Dr. Lea Numberger-Thuy. “The 3D reconstructions combine scientific accuracy with visual appeal. They make the fossil finds visible and tangible for a broad audience,” she adds.

Just in time for the Rhineland-Palatinate autumn holidays, the life reconstructions of the pterosaur from the Südeifel are landing at the park. “They form a new element in the continuously evolving Dinosaurierpark. The new reconstructions of the pterosaur, together with the participatory research project, create the perfect link between science and visitor experience,” explains Bruno Zwank, Managing Director of Felsenland Südeifel and head of the park. ■