Batrachognathus

Ba-trak-og-na-fus.
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Emerson Winslow

Paleoichthyologist

Emerson Winslow delves into the underwater world of prehistoric fish, uncovering the mysteries of early marine life. His discoveries have enhanced understanding of vertebrate evolution in aquatic environments.

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Name

Batrachognathus (Frog jaw).

Phonetic

Ba-trak-og-na-fus.

Named By

Anatoly Nicolaevich Ryabinin - 1948.

Classification

Chordata, Reptilia, Pterosauria, Rhamphorhynchoidea, Anurognathidae.

Diet

Insectivore.

Species

B. volans

Size

Wingspan estimated between 50 and 75 centimetres. Skull 48 millimetres long.

Known locations

Kazakhstan, Karatau Mountains, Tien Shan foothills.

Time Period

Oxfordian to Kimmeridgian of the Jurassic.

Fossil representation

Incomplete and disarticulated skeleton that includes skull fragments.

In Depth

       As a member of the Anurognathidae, Batrachognathus is seen as being related to other pterosaurs such as Dendrorhynchoides, Jeholopterus and Anurognathus itself. Unfortunately Batrachognathus has also suffered from being damaged during the fossilisation process with the tall and broad skull being broken into several pieces as it lay under pressure in the lacustrine sediment.

       Back in the Jurassic the area that the Batrachognathus holotype specimen was recovered from would have been a lake environment, and a perfect breeding ground for the insects that would have presumably been the preferred prey of Batrachognathus. Evidence for this feeding style comes from the recurved conical teeth, and the short broad snout making it easier for Batrachognathus to trap flying insects within its maw.

Further Reading

– Remarks on a flying reptile from the Jurassic of the Kara-Tau. – Akademia Nauk, Paleontological Institute, Trudy, 15(1): 86-93. – A. N. Ryabinin – 1948.

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