PaleontologybioRxivPreprint
Iridescence in pterosaur pycnofibers and the evolution of integumentary coloration
Zelin wu, Liliana D’Alba, Zhou Chang-Fu…·Quanguo Li
The paper identifies iridescent coloration in pterosaur pycnofibers through melanosomes and photonic nanostructures, showing it was present in archosaurs before birds.
DOI 10.64898/2026.05.06.723168