In Depth Originally named as a species of Eudimorphodon, Arcticodactylus is a genus of small pterosaur that was flying in the skies above Greenland during the late Triassic. Back when Arcticodactylus lived, Greenland was much warmer that what it is today. Further Reading - Comments on Triassic pterosaurs with discussion about ontogeny and description of … Read more
In Depth Like Ornithocheirus, Anhanguera had rounded crests on both the tip of its snout and lower jaw. Also the jaws broadened towards the tip with the sharp thin teeth pointing outwards in what is often referred to as a rosette. This arrangement greatly increased the ‘catch area’ for Anhanguera as it flew over the … Read more
In Depth Aside from being the first tapejarid pterosaur discovered outside of Brazil, Sinopterus also represents one of the earliest and most complete. Sinopterus had a toothless bony beak and bony crest that runs from the premaxilla to the middle of the skull. The crest is then thought to extend upwards. Sinopterus is thought to … Read more
In Depth Although named from very little fossil remains, Aerotitan is thought to be one of the azdarchid pterosaurs, and if correct, this would make Aerotitan the first known confirmed azdarchid pterosaur from South America. The azdarchid pterosaurs are a special group noted for having proportionately long necks supported by lengthened cervical (neck) vertebrae. Some … Read more
In Depth Unfortunately not only are pterosaur fossils rare in Australia they are usually very fragmentary; such is the case for Aussiedraco. The type specimen had been known for over thirty years before it was granted the name Aussiedraco and represents the front piece of the lower jaw. The jaw itself was thin like you … Read more
In Depth Like in other ornithocherid pterosaurs the sharp teeth of Boreopterus project out to the sides with the largest near the tip of the snout, most notably the third and fourth pairs from the tip of the snout. When the teeth near the tips of the jaws meshed together they made for an effective … Read more
In Depth At first glance the holotype specimen of Bellubrunnus was considered to have been an example of the famous pterosaur genus Rhamphorhynchus, though a closer study of the specimen soon came to the conclusion that it actually represented a unique genus. The skull of Bellubrunnus has been noted for being proportionately short with large … Read more
In Depth Cathayopterus is another member of the filter feeding group of pterosaurs that are known from all over the world with particularly notable genera hailing from South America (Pterodaustro) and Europe (Ctenochasma). Further Reading – Pterosaur assemblages of the Jehol Biota and their implication for the Early Cretaceous pterosaur radiation. – Geological Journal. 41 … Read more
In Depth Navajodactylus was named in honour of the Navajo Nation with the genus name also incorporating the Greek ‘dactylus’ for ‘finger’, like in many other pterosaurs. The species name honours Arjan C. Boer� who discovered the holotype specimen in the Kirtland Formation back in 2002. Navajodactylus has been placed within the azhdarchidae pterosaurs, although … Read more
In Depth Ctenochasma is one of the few known filter feeding pterosaurs, and its name heads up the group Ctenochasmatidae which includes similar pterosaurs such as Pterodaustro and Unwindia. The method of pterosaurs filter feeding is quite simple as instead of having the large needle like teeth associated with catching fish and insects, pterosaurs like … Read more