Amazing Facts About Mary Anning – The First Female Paleontologist

#16 She Discovered Fossil Fish And The Pterosaur

When a newspaper article reported a specimen of Dapedium Politum, very little was spoken of the one who discovered it.

Mary Anning, who discovered this specimen, later found out that it was a ray-finned fish.

This species of fish was described late in 1828. In the same year, Anning found a part of the skeleton of the rare pterosaur.

However, in 1829, William Buckland called it Pterodactylus Macronyx, and later, Richard Owen changed its name to Dimorphodon Macronyx.

Fortunately, Mary Anning was credited with this specimen’s discovery as it was the first of its kind found outside Germany.

This partial skeleton was soon kept on display at the British Museum for the public to admire.