Scaphognathus

Scaphognathus was a rhamphorhyncoid pterosaur found in the Solnhofen limestone of the Upper Jurassic.

Scaphognathus
Temporal range: Late Jurassic, 155.7–150.8 Ma
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Cast of the holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Archosauria
Order: †Pterosauria
Family: †Rhamphorhynchidae
Subfamily: †Scaphognathinae
Genus: †Scaphognathus
Wagner, 1861
Type species
†Pterodactylus crassirostris
Goldfuss, 1831
Species
  • †Scaphognathus crassirostris (Goldfuss, 1831)
Synonyms
  • Pachyramphus Fitzinger, 1843 (preoccupied)
  • Brachytrachelus Giebel, 1850 (preoccupied)
  • Pterodactylus crassirostris Goldfuss 1830
  • Pachyrhamphus crassirostris Fitzinger 1843 preoccupied
  • Ornithocephalus crassirostris Wagner 1851
  • Brachytrachelus crassirostris Giebel 1852 preoccupied
  • Rhamphorhynchus crassirostris Wagner 1858
A drawing of a Scaphognathus

It had wings that was about one meter long and a long tail shaped like a leaf. The leaf-tail probably acted like a rudder, helping it steer through the air. It was probably a diurnal (daytime) flier, where Rhamphorhynchus was probably nocturnal.

Diet

Scaphognathus ate Pholidophorus fish.[1]

References
  1. Willis, Paul (2003). "Reader's Digest Pathfinders" marvels of nature. Australia: Reader's Digest Children's Books. ISBN 0-7944-0351-4.


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