Rexarthuria cliftii: 3D Model of the Earliest European Azhdarchoid Pterosaur

A British pterosaur fossil, originally named "Palaeornis" cliftii, from the Wealden of Cuckfield, U.K. The dataset includes 3D models and images of the type specimen, which is reinterpreted as an azhdarchoid humerus. It was authored by Emily M.R. Thomas and published on figshare under a CC-BY-4.0 license.

Use Cases

• Conducting phylogenetic analysis based on the described unique humerus morphology.
• Performing comparative 3D anatomical studies of azhdarchoid pterosaurs.
• Reassessing the taxonomic validity of early pterosaur discoveries from the Wealden.
• Creating educational or museum exhibits using the provided 3D models (OBJ/MTL files).

Strengths

• Includes 3D model files (OBJ/MTL) and images (JPEG) for direct examination of the fossil.
• Provides a detailed taxonomic reassessment, proposing a new genus name (Rexarthuria).
• Identifies the specimen as the oldest known azhdarchoid material from Europe.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The dataset is small (23.0 MB), containing only files for a single specimen.

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Likely contains 3D scans and photographs of a physical fossil specimen.

Time Range

Early Cretaceous (Wealden Group).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-26 08:38:24; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Cuckfield, United Kingdom.