Iridescence in pterosaur pycnofibers and the evolution of integumentary coloration
Zelin wu, Liliana D’Alba, Zhou Chang-Fu, Julia A. Clarke, Juan Li, Matthew D. Shawkey, Quanguo Li
The paper identifies iridescent coloration in pterosaur pycnofibers through melanosomes and photonic nanostructures, showing it was present in archosaurs before birds.
bioRxiv · May 10, 2026 · PreprintPaleontology