Pterodactylus

Pterodactyl kochi

Pterodactyl ( "flying fingers " ) is a genus of small, short-tailed pterosaurs ( Pterodactyloidea ). Fossils were found at Weymouth in England, in the quarries of Solnhofen and Moernsheim in Bavaria and in Tendaguru in Tanzania. Probably lived Pterodactylus to lake and river shores and fed on small fish and other small animals.

Features

He had a wingspan of 50 to 75 centimeters. In Solnhofen were also found a juvenile with a body length of 2 inches and a wingspan of 18 centimeters. The skull was slender, elongated and without bone crest. The cranial window for the nasal opening was the same size as the orbit ( eye socket) or longer. The square leg was horizontal to slightly inclined position. On each side of the upper jaw, three to four teeth were on the premaxilla and 10 to 35 on the maxilla. Only the front third to one half of the front jaws were dentate.

Species

Of the many species described are still valid today:

  • Pterodactyl antiquus
  • Pterodactyl kochi
  • Pterodactyl micronyx

Pterodactyl kochi - Museum of Natural History, Berlin

Pterodactyl - American Museum of Natural History

Pterodactyl kochi - Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Valanginian Mya (unit) Archosaur Ornithodira Weymouth (Dorset) Tendaguru Formation Peter Wellnhofer
241225
de