Scaphognathus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Scaphognathus Temporal range: Late Jurassic, 155.7–150.8Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Cast of the holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
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

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

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.

Images for kids

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  A. Goldfuss' illustration of the type specimen

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  1905 restoration of Scaphognathus (right) and other pterosaurs

See also

In Spanish: Scaphognathus para niños