October unleashed. Huanhepterus

    The type specimen of Huanhepterus was discovered when it was exposed after a quarry side was blasted by explosives. Unfortunately this blast also destroyed the right hand side of the specimen. Huanhepterus was placed within the Ctenochasmatoidea because of the large number of slender teeth, and for this reason Huanhepterus has been presumed to be a filter feeder.

October unleashed. Preondactylus

  Preondactylus is another contender for earliest pterosaur although new discoveries are constantly challenging this.‭ ‬One feature that confirms the basal placement of Preondactylus is the short wings, since as pterosaurs evolved the wings became proportionately larger.‭ ‬The hind legs are also very long in relation to the total body length.
       The diet of Preondactylus has been difficult to determine with certainty with most researchers sitting on the fence between piscivore and insectivore.‭ ‬While Preondactylus does seem to be associated with a marine environment,‭ ‬it does not mean that one should just come to the conclusion that Preondactylus was a fish eater.
       The name Preondactylus comes from the Preone region of Italy where is was discovered,‭ ‬and combined the Greek‭ '‬dactylus‭' ‬or‭ '‬finger‭'‬,‭ ‬in reference to the wing construction.‭ ‬The holotype specimen suffered a lot of damage when it was recovered however when the slab it was on broke apart during extraction.‭ ‬Also when cleaned,‭ ‬much of the specimen was washed away leaving just an impression in the stone.‭ ‬This was not a total disaster however as a very simple method of employed to reveal Preondactylus.‭ ‬Silicone was poured into the impression and allowed to set.‭ ‬Once solid,‭ ‬the researchers just had to pull the moulding off and the bones of Preondactylus were revealed once again.‭
       The most exciting discovery that may possibly represent another specimen of Preondactylus is a disarticulated mass of bones.‭ ‬Although it might not sound like much to get excited about,‭ ‬this mass of bones is actually a gastric pellet from a the predatory fish Saurichthys.‭ ‬Many fish cannot digest or excrete bone,‭ ‬so once the flesh has been digested the bones and other indigestible material is regurgitated in the form of a pellet,‭ ‬like how an owl will eat mice,‭ ‬but bring up the fur and bones in the form of a pellet.‭ ‬Unfortunately no one can say for certain if these remains really are attributable to Preondactylus as the only thing that can be said about this specimen is that it comes from roughly the same area as the holotype specimen.‭ ‬However the presence of this pellet does at least prove that while pterosaurs often fed upon fish,‭ ‬it sometimes worked the other way around.

October unleashed. Plataleorhynchus

 Plataleorhynchus got its name from its specialised jaws that expand at the tips to form a spoon shape. By adopting this shape, the jaws could process a larger area as Plataleorhynchus sifted through mud and wet sand to find invertebrates to eat. However the presence of smaller teeth and hard horn covered palate has brought forth the suggestion that Plataleorhynchus may have searched for invertebrate prey in shallow water, where a larger jaw area would also be a benefit.

October unleashed. Prejanopterus

 Not many pterosaurs are known from Spain, but Prejanopterus is so far one of the better preserved specimens. The interesting thing about the Prejanopterus is that although the bottom jaw is straight, the upper jaw curves upwards and away from the bottom jaw. This is not considered a distortion of the jaw as a product of the preservation process as all known specimens of Prejanopterus display this curvature.
       The curved upper jaw of Prejanopterus has caused some confusion amongst palaeontologists as to how Prejanopterus could eat, especially when Prejanopterus is usually depicted as a fish eater. However another pterosaur named Dsungaripterus had a similar curvature to its jaws, and it is thought that the curvature in Dsungaripterus existed as a tool so that Dsungaripterus could dig out invertebratres from the sand and mud. We can not say at his time if this was also the case for Prejanopterus, but it is at least a possibility.

October unleashed. Phosphatodraco

  Five neck vertebrae may not be much to go on when describing a pterosaur,‭ ‬but the elongated vertebra of Phosphatodraco are a signature feature of the azdarchid group of pterosaurs.‭ ‬The vertebra of Phosphatodraco are also quite unique in themselves by being elongated at the base as well as higher up and also revealing the presence of neural spines.‭ ‬These caudal vertebrae have been speculated to have been modified dorsal vertebra from the back,‭ ‬and would have served to extend the characteristically long azdarchid neck even further.‭ ‬This would have allowed Phosphatodraco to move its head over a larger area while hunting without the need for re-positioning its body so often.

October unleashed. Istiodactylus

   Istiodactylus had actually been known to science since 1913 except it was known as Ornithodesmus until it was realised that some of the remains associated to it belonged to a theropod dinosaur. With this realisation the known remains were renamed Istiodactylus.
       Istiodactylus had quite a unique beak that was rounded at the end leading some to refer to it as a 'duck billed' pterosaur. This analogy aside, the teeth inside the beak laterally compressed, small and fitted close together towards the front, meaning that Istiodactylus would have had an easy time slicing flesh.
       Another specimen is thought to hail from China and is named Istiodactylus sinesis. However its validity was disputed not long after it was named in 2006, and it has since been considered to be a junior synonym of the pterosaur Nurhachius. This would make Istiodactylus known only from the British Isles.

October unleashed. Jidapterus

 Jidapterus has had an uncertain phylogenetic history with researchers either not knowing or not agreeing on where to place it. Most now agree that Jidapterus belongs with the azhdarchid pterosaurs within the chaoyangopteridae because of its similarities to Chaoyangopterus which was described in the same year as Jidapterus.

October unleashed. Kunpengopterus

 Kunpengopterus is thought to have been very similar to Darwinopterus although it does not appear to have had the same expansive head crest. However Kunpengopterus does appear to have had a smaller head crest as evidenced by a small bony projection on top of the skull, above the eyes.

October unleashed. Kepodactylus

  The discovery of Kepodactylus was actually a by-product of the recovery of a Stegosaurus in Garden Park, Colorado. This is how Kepodactylus got a name meaning 'garden finger'. The species name insperatus is referenced to the discovery of Kepodactylus being a pleasant surprise to the dig team.

October unleashed. Mythunga

Despite the fact that Mythunga is only known from a partial skull it is still one of the best preserved Australian pterosaur fossils which are in themselves rare from Australia. This is not to say that Australia didn't have its fair share of pterosaurs, just that they did not preserve very well in the given conditions. Also the harsh natural climate of Australia weathers exposed fossils very quickly, meaning that when one is discovered, palaeontologists must work quickly to prevent erosion to the specimen.

       Because of its incomplete preservation the exact position of Mythunga among other pterosaurs has been hard to determine. Also there is speculation that the Mythunga specimen could be that of a juvenile which can actually make it even more difficult to establish its position due to the radical changes that some pterosaurs exhibit as they grow. For example many of the early discovered pterosaurs such as Pterodactylus and Rhamphorhynchus caused a lot of confusion amongst early palaeontologists because the juveniles are so different from the adults that they were thought to be different species. Hopefully better preserved material will come to light to help identify Mythunga, even if it means giving it its own group.

       In life Mythunga lived in a coastal area, as discovered by analysis of the deposits it was recovered from. This discovery combined with the sharp teeth of Mythunga that intermeshed when the jaws were closed indicate the piscivorous lifestyle of a fish hunter.

       Another Australian pterosaur discovered and named in 2011 is Aussiedraco.

October unleashed. Muzquizopteryx

   Muzquizopteryx is placed in the same pterosaur family as Nyctosaurus although it lacks the formers highly elaborate head crest. With a two meter wingspan, Muzquizopteryx is small for a nyctosaurid.

October unleashed. Montanazhdarcho

 Not much can be said about Montanazhdarcho except that much of the fossil material, with the exception of the crushed cervical vertebra, was uncompressed. The fossil was also of an adult individual which at a two and half meter wingspan, was small by azdarchid standards.

October unleashed. Moganopterus

Though Moganopterus probably does not have the largest skull of any pterosaur,‭ ‬it does have the largest skull of any toothed pterosaur.‭ ‬This size is down to the jaws being very elongated,‭ ‬possibly for additional reach.‭ ‬There were at least sixty-two teeth in the skull,‭ ‬though possibly more.‭ ‬On the back of the head a low crest extended back at an angle of fifteen degrees.‭

       Because of the blade-like nature of the jaws,‭ ‬Moganopterus was named after the legendary couple of Gan Jian and Mo Ye a couple who were tasked with forging two swords for King Helü of Wu.‭ ‬The story varies slightly depending upon the telling of the story.‭ ‬In some accounts the furnace forging the metal for the swords needed more qi energy,‭ ‬so Gan Jiang and Mo Ye cut off their hair and fingernails and threw them into the fire but in other accounts Mo Ye sacrificed herself by throwing herself into the fire.‭ ‬Two swords were made,‭ ‬but Gan Jiang decided to keep one while giving the Mo Ye sword to the king.‭ ‬When the king learned that Gan Jiang had kept one,‭ ‬he had Gan Jiang killed,‭ ‬though failed in retrieving the sword.
       Before he was killed,‭ ‬Gan Jiang had told Mo Ye of the location of the sword.‭ ‬Mo Ye passed this information onto their son Chi,‭ ‬who when old enough located the Gan Jiang sword and set off avenge his father‭’‬s death.‭ ‬The king,‭ ‬fearing Chi,‭ ‬placed a bounty upon Chi’s head.‭ ‬On his way to see the king,‭ ‬Chi began crying as he thought about his mother and father,‭ ‬revealing his presence to an assassin who was searching for him.‭ ‬Rather than be taken as a prisoner,‭ ‬Chi committed suicide,‭ ‬but not before telling his story and reason for wanting the king dead to the assassin.
       Upon hearing Chi’s story,‭ ‬the assassin realised the truth of what the king had done for the sake of owning the Gan Jiang sword.‭ ‬Taking Chi’s head and the Gan Jiang sword,‭ ‬the assassin presented both to the king,‭ ‬showing him that the danger was gone.‭ ‬The assassin however told the king that Chi’s head should be boiled to remove the flesh,‭ ‬something that the king agreed to.‭ ‬The assassin placed Chi’s head into a cauldron of boiling water,‭ ‬but then the assassin turned to the king in dismay,‭ ‬saying that the flesh was not coming away.‭ ‬The assassin suggested that the king should look upon Chi’s head himself so that the flesh would fall away.‭ ‬As the king peered over the edge of the cauldron,‭ ‬the assassin drew his sword and decapitated the king,‭ ‬his head falling into the cauldron of boiling water with Chi’s.‭ ‬The assassin then lent over the cauldron and chopped off his own head so that there were now three in the cauldron.
       By the time the palace guards were able to recover the cauldron,‭ ‬the flesh had been boiled off all three heads so that only three skulls remained.‭ ‬No one in the palace was able to recognise which skull belonged to the king,‭ ‬and so all three skulls were buried together in Henan Province in a place called the Tomb of Three Kings.

October unleashed. Gwawinapterus

   Gwawinapterus was found inside a rock with some of the bones and teeth on the surface. To get a better idea as to what was inside it, the rock was cut in half. The skull of Gwawinapterus was found to be similar to that of Istiodactylus. The teeth are closely packed and triangular but laterally compressed with a visible curvature on the front, although the whole tooth is straight. These teeth suggest that Gwawinapterus had a piscivorous lifestyle, as has been suggested for other pterosaurs of its group. Also it seems that Gwawinapterus was actually one of the last 'toothed' pterosaurs from a time when other toothless pterosaurs such as Pteranodon seem to have been dominant.
       Gwawinapterus got its name from the Kwak'wala word Gwa'wina which means 'raven', which in turn was inspired by the hamatsa masks of the Kwakwaka'wakw. The species name is in honour of Graham Beard, who brought the find to the attention of Currie.

October unleashed. Guidraco

The describers of Guidraco classed‭ ‬it‭ ‬within the Pteranodontoidea‭ (‬the group defined by the type genus Pteranodon‭)‬,‭ ‬however they also found that its closest known relative was Ludodactylus which is actually a member of the Ornithocheiridae‭ (‬another group defined by the type genus Ornithocheirus‭)‬.‭ ‬These two groups of pterosaurs are closely related to one another,‭ ‬although the‭ ‬exact relationship of these groups can vary depending upon the author.
       The main context here however is the similarity to Ludodactylus,‭ ‬a pterosaur that at the time of description is only known from South America,‭ ‬specifically Brazil.‭ ‬This similarity if not a case of convergent evolution is taken as being evidence of a faunal interchange between the continents during the early Cretaceous.‭ ‬It should be remembered that the continents were in a quite different arrangement to what they are today with what is now the Atlantic Ocean being much narrower.‭ ‬As flying reptiles,‭ ‬pterosaurs‭ (‬particularly piscivorous ones‭) ‬could easily follow coastlines to reach into new continents.
       Guidraco is thought to have been a piscivore‭ (‬an eater of fish‭) ‬because of the arrangement of the anterior‭ (‬forward‭) ‬teeth that are both elongated and angled to point forwards rather than just up and down.‭ ‬This arrangement creates a large catch area of needle like teeth that significantly increases the chance of this pterosaur to catch and hold onto slippery prey like fish.‭ ‬These anterior teeth also have vertical ridges on the back while the teeth at the rear of the mouth are smooth.
       Guidraco also has a crest that rises up from the back of the skull similar to world famous Pteranodon,‭ ‬but it lacks the semi-circular‭ ‘‬keel crests‭’ ‬on the tips of the jaws that are present in other ornithocheirid genera such as Ornithocheirus.‭ ‬Instead the closest match is to the aforementioned Ludodactylus which seems to have had a similar head crest to Guidraco while also lacking the keel crests.‭ ‬Although pterosaur crests have often been described as flying aids for such things as steering,‭ ‬the incredible variety amongst different genera is more indicative of the crests being used for display purposes.‭ ‬This could not only be for the purpose of attracting a mate,‭ ‬but for recognising others of their own kinds during a time when the skies would have been full of multiple kinds of pterosaurs.
       The name Guidraco is a combination of the Chinese‭ ‘‬Gui‭’ ‬which means‭ ‘‬malicious ghost‭’ ‬with the latin‭ ‘‬draco‭’ ‬which means‭ ‘‬dragon‭’‬.‭ ‬The species name‭ ‘‬venator‭’ ‬means‭ ‘‬hunter‭’ ‬and combines with the genus name to make Guidraco venator which means‭ ‘‬ghost dragon hunter‭’‬.

       Guidraco is merely one of many pterosaur genera that are known from the Jiufotang Formation of China.‭ ‬Below is a list of some of the pterosaurs that have been recovered from this Formation.

October unleashed. Gnathosaurus

When first described in 1833, Gnathosaurus was actually thought to have been the remains of small prehistoric crocodile. This persisted until the discovery of the skull in 1951, which revealed Gnathosaurus to actually be a filter feeding pterosaur similar to Ctenochasma.
       The teeth of Gnathosaurus were very fine and projected outwards from the mouth. The teeth towards the front of the jaws were even more specialised in forming a 'spoon' shaped structure, and this is thought to be the main prey catching area. By scooping up water with its mouth, Gnathosaurus could allow it to drain through its teeth, leaving small invertebrates behind in its beak.
       Gnathosaurus is but one of a growing number of known pterosaurs that adopted filter feeding lifestyles and while Gnathosaurus seems to have been a successful design, it was still quite basic when compared to the hyper specialisation of later filter feeding pterosaurs like Pterodaustro.

October unleashed. Gladocephaloideus

Gladocephaloideus was a very exciting discovery as it was the first gallodactylid pterosaur to be discovered in Asia.‭ ‬As such Gladocephaloideus is thought to be related to Cycnorhamphus which itself is known from Germany.
       The jaws of Gladocephaloideus are filled with numerous small and thin teeth which were probably used to filter invertebrates from water and silt.‭ ‬Also of interest is the presence of what seems to be‭ ‘‬hairs‭’ ‬on the body of Gladocephaloideus which seem to have been there for insulation.‭ ‬These‭ ‘‬hairs‭’ ‬would in actual fact be what are called pycnofibres,‭ ‬growths that are actually more like primitive feathers in form that are also found upon other pterosaurs,‭ ‬most famously on the pterosaur Sordes.‭ ‬This strongly suggests that pterosaurs evolved into reptilian creatures that did not have cold-blooded metabolisms like reptiles we know today.

October unleashed. Faxinalipterus

Faxinalipterus is a contender for the oldest known pterosaur, although some have put forward the notion that it may be a form of reptile just before true pterosaurs. Whichever may yet prove correct, the fact that Faxinalipterusis only known from a terrestrial location is taken by some to prove that pterosaurs evolved inland as opposed to coastal locations. This would also tie in with current thinking that pterosaurs ultimate ancestors were arboreal reptiles that had evolved membranes between their legs and bodies to glide from one tree to another.

October unleashed. Azhdarcho

   The western word for naming a genus dragon is‭ '‬draco‭'‬,‭ ‬in China its‭ '‬long‭'‬,‭ ‬but Azhdarcho is the Uzbek word for such a mythical beast.‭ ‬Azhdarcho is also the centre for the azdarchid line of pterosaurs.‭ ‬The azhdarchids are known for having long necks,‭ ‬the result of neck vertebrae that are longer in other pterosaurs.‭ ‬These long necks are thought to have enabled pterosaurs like Azhdarcho to live like modern storks.‭ ‬This would mean Azhdarcho either taking up position in the shallows and stalking fish,‭ ‬or walking through long grass and snapping up lizards.

October unleashed. Austriadactylus

   Austriadactylus was at the larger end of the scale for Triassic pterosaurs,‭ ‬although it was still tiny if you compare it to the much later giants like Quetzalcoatlus that lived towards the end of the Cretaceous.‭ ‬Quite a unique feature for Austriadactylus however is its head crest which rose up two centimetres from the tip of the snout,‭ ‬continuing until just above the eyes.‭ ‬The fact the crest is present is also interesting in itself when you consider that display crests did not become common in pterosaurs until the end of the Jurassic with the appearance of the advanced pterosaurs of the pterodactyloidea.
       Only the teeth of the upper jaw are known for Austriadactylus and not only are there possibly over seventy teeth,‭ ‬but they are of different types.‭ ‬The largest teeth were fang like and were presumably for the purpose of prey capture with largest towards the front and smaller versions towards the rear of the mouth.‭ ‬Between these are the more numerous tricuspid teeth.‭ ‬Tricuspid teeth are so called because they have three points and are more suitable for slicing.‭ ‬It is hard to infer a specific prey specialisation for varying teeth like this,‭ ‬but given its large size,‭ ‬Austriadactylus may have focused upon fish or even small terrestrial lizards and amphibian as opposed to insects. The tail of Austriadactylus was still flexible,‭ ‬lacking the stiffening modifications that would be common in their successive descendants,‭ ‬the rhamphorhyncoid pterosaurs.
       A second fossil specimen from Italy was assigned to Austriadactylus in‭ ‬2009,‭ ‬although there appears to be several differences between this and the holotype which has led to some questioning its inclusion into the genus.‭ ‬Because of similarities to Eudimorphodon the suggestion has been made that Austriadactylus is synonymous to it.

October unleashed. Aussiedraco

 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 would expect in a pterosaur,‭ ‬something that would decrease water resistance as the jaw was swept through the water.‭ ‬In cross section the jaw has a triangular shape that would have strengthened it against forces pushing down on the upper surface,‭ ‬such as the pressure of the water resistance as the lower jaw entered and moved through the water.‭ ‬Both of these are important features as pterosaurs like Aussiedraco are thought to have caught prey while still flying.
       The lower jaw had a minimum of five pairs of teeth with the teeth nearer the front angled to point forwards away from the mouth rather than up into the maxilla of the upper jaw.‭ ‬This characteristic is commonly seen in the ornitocheirid group of pterosaurs which were piscivorous fish eaters,‭ ‬and serves to increase the chance of prey capture as Aussiedraco skimmed its beak through the water.‭

October unleashed. Aussiedraco

 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 would expect in a pterosaur,‭ ‬something that would decrease water resistance as the jaw was swept through the water.‭ ‬In cross section the jaw has a triangular shape that would have strengthened it against forces pushing down on the upper surface,‭ ‬such as the pressure of the water resistance as the lower jaw entered and moved through the water.‭ ‬Both of these are important features as pterosaurs like Aussiedraco are thought to have caught prey while still flying.
       The lower jaw had a minimum of five pairs of teeth with the teeth nearer the front angled to point forwards away from the mouth rather than up into the maxilla of the upper jaw.‭ ‬This characteristic is commonly seen in the ornitocheirid group of pterosaurs which were piscivorous fish eaters,‭ ‬and serves to increase the chance of prey capture as Aussiedraco skimmed its beak through the water.‭

October unleashed. Arthurdactylus

 Arthurdactylus conandoylei was named after the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and while he is most famous for writing the Sherlock Holmes stories, he also wrote The Lost World. For those not familiar with the story it is about a group of explorers who discover a plateau in South America where dinosaurs and pterosaurs are still alive. There have also been several film and television adaptations of the original story as well.
       It is hard to say how Arthurdactylus lived as the skull is missing, and the lifestyles of pterosaurs are usually revealed by the study of their dentition and skull shape. However Arthurdactylus seems to almost certainly to have been at home in the air than most other pterosaurs as evidenced by its exceptionally long wing fingers. These large wings also seem to have formed at the expense of the legs which are quite underdeveloped when compared to other pterosaurs.
       Despite the lack of skull, Arthurdactylus has been assigned to the ornithocheirid pterosaurs, a group that appears to have been exclusively piscivorous (fish eaters). Still without the skull not only is it hard to imply this diet for Arthurdactylus, but it is also hard to suggest if it had similar head crests as some members like Ornithocheirus itself did.

October unleashed. Archaeoistiodactylus

As the name suggests, Archaeoistiodactylus is the oldest known istiodactylid pterosaur.

October unleashed. Araripesaurus

Araripesaurus appears to be a dubious entry amongst pterosaurs because of the lack of distinguishing features. Even though it has been considered to be Santanadactylus, the same lack of distinguishing features mean that Araripesaurus cannot be reassigned to a different genus with certainty. Further material that was to be attributed to Araripesaurus has since been classified under Anhanguera, another pterosaur noted as being similar to Araripesaurus.

October unleashed. Araripedactylus

Because so little fossil material is known about this pterosaur, it is impossible to say exactly what kind of pterosaur Araripedactylus was. Some have drawn similarities between the scant material of Araripedactylus and Anhanguera, but further comparison is at this time impossible.

October unleashed. Arambourgiania

  For much of the early part of its scientific life Arambourgiania was known as Titanopteryx,‭ ‬however in‭ ‬1987‭ ‬Lev Nesov was made aware that the genus name was already being used by a fly.‭ ‬Under ICZN rules,‭ ‬no two animals may share the same genus name.‭ ‬Nesov renamed the specimen Arambourgiania in honour of Camille Arambourg,‭ ‬who in‭ ‬1954‭ ‬was the first person to realise that the holotype specimen belonged to a pterosaur.‭ ‬However Arambourg was still wrong in that he thought the bone was a wing metacarpal.‭ ‬It would not be until‭ ‬1975‭ ‬that the bone would be correctly identified as a cervical vertebra by Douglas A.‭ ‬Lawson.
       When the holotype was rediscovered in the late‭ ‬1990‭'‬s a more thorough investigation was carried out by David Martill and Eberhard Frey,‭ ‬who had attempted to find the holotype in back in‭ ‬1995‭ ‬but to no avail.‭ ‬It was not until‭ ‬1996‭ ‬that they learned the holotype specimen had been sold in‭ ‬1969‭ ‬and was subsequently donated to the University of Jordan‭ ‬in‭ ‬1973. Almost immediately it was realised that the vertebra was not complete and was missing the end from the posterior (rear portion).‭ ‬Taking this into account,‭ ‬they came up with an estimated length of seventy-eight centimetres.‭ ‬They also interpreted the position as the fifth neck vertebra.‭ ‬In order to get an idea of its size,‭ ‬Arambourgiania was then compared to the giant pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus.‭
       The neck vertebra of Arambourgiania was seventy-eight centimetres long compared to sixty-six centimetres of the same vertebra for Quetzalcoatlus.‭ ‬This produced a scale ratio of‭ ‬1.18‭ ‬which was then used to enlarge Quetzalcoatlus to gauge an estimated wingspan.‭ ‬The result was an estimated wingspan approaching thirteen meters across for Arambourgiania.‭ ‬However further studies for the total size of Arambourgiania have since been carried out,‭ ‬most of them revealing smaller wingspans that reduce down to the seven metre mark. Unfortunately unless more fossil material can be discovered for Arambourgiania,‭ ‬the only way to gauge its size is to guess by comparing it to other pterosaurs which in itself can be a problematic method of reconstruction since this depends upon two seperate creatures being similar to one another.

October unleashed. Aralazhdarcho

 Unfortunately because a portion of the neck vertebra is the only known fossil of Aralazhdarcho, not a lot can be said about the living creature. As you may have figured out for yourselves the name Aralazhdarcho is in reference to the Aral Sea, combined with the genus Azhdarcho, the genus that led to the formation of the Azhdarchidae pterosaurs that include giants such as Quetzalcoatlus.

October unleashed. Anhanguera

 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 water looking for fish. Anhanguera also had a smaller crest rising up from the back of its skull.‭ ‬This is quite a common feature amongst the advanced pterosaurs,‭ ‬though the crests of ornithocherid pterosaurs were not as dramatic as others such as Pteranodon and Nyctosaurus.
       With remains of Anhanguera being recovered in so many far reaching places,‭ ‬it seems that Anhanguera had a cosmopolitan distribution with the genus being represented‭ ‬by different species all over.‭ ‬However many of the species have since been found to represent other earlier named species.‭ ‬Anhanguera is also similar to the Chinese pterosaur Liaoningopterus.

October unleashed. Alanqa

Alanqa was a significant find as pterosaurs are not especially well known from Africa.‭ ‬This is not to say that Africa did not have many pterosaurs living there,‭ ‬just that the conditions were not conducive for mass preservation given the fragile nature of pterosaur bones‭ (‬even when well preserved they often get crushed during the fossilisation process‭)‬.‭ ‬Although initially thought to be pteranodontid,‭ ‬most people consider Alanqa to actually represent an early azdarchid pterosaur,‭ ‬similar to others of the group like Zheijiangopterus.‭ ‬As such Alanqa is thought to have hunted like a stork,‭ ‬as has been suggested for the azdarchid pterosaurs as a group.

October unleashed. Aetodactylus

 Although currently known from only a lower jaw Aetodactylus is believed to represent an ornithocheirid pterosaur, and as such it is only the second of its type to have been discovered in North America. The pointed teeth of Aetodactylus are pointed and evenly arranged into pairs, the first of which project forwards. This likely allowed Aetodactylus to get a better grip of fish. Also the teeth were larger at the front of the mouth and steadily decreasing in size towards the rear. Pits in the lower jaw have been interpreted as housing for the upper jaw teeth, although they do no run the entire length of the lower jaw. While it is still unknown if Aetodactylus had a head crest, it has been confirmed to not have a lower jaw crest. This makes Aetodactylus a little bit different from related pterosaurs such as Ornithocheirus.

       The fact that Aetodactylus represents a toothed pterosaur from the Cenomanian is seen as proof that the North American pterosaurs of the late Cretaceous were not just of the toothless variety like the famous Pteranodon. This confirmed diversity amongst North American pterosaurs has heralded new interest from researchers with some setting out with the focus for pterosaur remains.

October unleashed. Brasileodactylus

Brasileodactylus may have had a crest on the back of its head, and this is why Ludodactylus has been suggested as a synonym of Brasileodactylus. Both pterosaurs have very similar skulls, but Ludodactylus has a crest similar in appearance to that of Pteranodon. If Brasileodactylus is proven to have a crest like Ludodactylus then Ludodactylus would most likely become a synonym of Brasileodactylus.
       Brasileodactylus was originally assigned to the Ornithocheiridae group of pterosaurs, although many researchers now place Brasileodactylus into the more general Pterodactyloidea which includes all 'advanced' pterosaurs. Still, Brasileodactylus has a similar skull morphology to Ornithocheirid pterosaurs, although it does lack crests on the snout, as can be seen in Ornithocheirus itself.

October unleashed. Bogolubovia

  Bogolubovia did not come into existence until seventy-five years after the holotype was discovered in 1914 by Nikolai Nikolaevich Bogolubov. Initially the remains were attributed to Ornithostoma as O. orientalis, and later reclassified as a species of Pteranodon. Now the original description can be compared with greater understanding of pterosaurs in general, Bogolubovia is thought to represent an azhdarchid pterosaur.

October unleashed. Bennettazhia

The remains for Bennettazhia were actually described back in 1928 by Charles W. Gilmore, although he actually assigned the fossils to Pteranodon under the new species name P. oregonensis. It was not until 1989 when S. Christopher Bennet found that the remains were not those of a Pteranodon but of an unknown azhdarchid pterosaur. Lev Nesov who named the first official azhdarchid, Azdarcho, created the new genus Bennettazhia in 1991.
       Bennettazhia was a rare find in that the humerus was uncrushed, something that does not happen very often due to the lightweight construction of pterosaur bones. When subjected to a CAT-scan, the inner construction of the bone was revealed to spongy cancellous bone that inherently reinforced the bone from within. This means that rather than being completely solid, the bones had a network of support struts to increase the bones ability to cope with stresses imposed upon it by supporting the body weight and flight.
       How pterosaurs got into the air has often been a subject of confusion and controversy. Modern interpretation has pterosaurs vaulting themselves into the air by pushing themselves off the ground with their wings. Many people have had problems accepting this launch method, especially for the large pterosaurs like Quetzalcoatlus. However the bone structure of Bennettazhia helps reinforce the theory on the grounds that pterosaur bones were potentially strong enough to cope with the stress.

October unleashed. Bellubrunnus

 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 eyes,‭ ‬though these are common proportions of juvenile pterosaurs that are still growing.‭ ‬The lack of fusion in other areas of the skeleton also supports the notion that the Bellubrunnus holotype is of a juvenile.‭ ‬This means that adult Bellubrunnus would have not only been larger,‭ ‬but probably had different facial proportions too.
       The teeth in the jaws of Bellubrunnus are long,‭ ‬thin and splay outwards to the sides and front of the mouth,‭ ‬a dental arrangement that is quite common in rhamphorhynchid pterosaurs.‭ ‬These would have increased the‭ ‘‬catch area‭’ ‬to make it easier to snatch prey like fish from the water.‭ ‬It should be noted though,‭ ‬that while fish are the most likely prey for Bellubrunnus,‭ ‬given the form of teeth and relationship to similar pterosaurs,‭ ‬large insects might have also been taken on the wing.‭ ‬All‭ ‬together there were twenty-two pairs of teeth in the mouth,‭ ‬though details about how many pairs were divided between upper and lower jaws is still uncertain.
       Bellubrunnus is noted for having a very flexible tail thanks to the short chevrons and zygapophyses of the caudal‭ (‬tail‭) ‬vertebrae.‭ ‬This is notably different to many other rhamphorhyncoid genera which had stiff tails held rigid by caudal vertebrae that overlapped one other.‭ ‬However it would be interesting to see if the tail of Bellubrunnus remained flexible in adult life or if the caudal vertebrae changed form to overlap each other and make the tail rigid like in relative genera.‭ ‬The flexibility of the tail of the holotype specimen of Bellubrunnus may be left over‭ ‬from time spent developing in the egg when the tail would need to be flexible enough to curl around the interior of the egg.
       The wings of the Bellubrunnus holotype are also noted as curving backwards at the phalanx‭ (‬analogous to your hand‭)‬.‭ ‬This would give Bellubrunnus an unusual shape of wing for a pterosaur that may have enhanced in flight manoeuvrability.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬it is still unknown if adult Bellubrunnus had similar wing proportions,‭ ‬or if again the swept back wing was a throwback to developing in the egg.
       Bellubrunnus means beautiful one of Brunn and is a reference to the Brunn limestone quarry where the holotype specimen was found.‭ ‬A further interesting note is that the Brunn quarry is seen as being similar to the famous Solnhofen Limestone quarry which has yielded uncountable remains of pterosaurs and other creatures such as fish and marine organisms.‭ ‬The type species name,‭ ‬B.‭ ‬rothgaengeri,‭ ‬is in honourof Monika Rothgaenger who found the holotype specimen.

October unleashed. Batrachognathus

 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.

October unleashed. Bakonydraco

To date not much can be revealed about Bakonydraco other than it was almost certainly an azdarchid pterosaur,‭ ‬the group known for having proportionately long necks that also features some of the largest known pterosaurs such as Quetzalcoatlus and Hatzegopteryx.‭ ‬Bakonydraco did still differ from many other azdarchids however by having what appears to have been a tall,‭ ‬deep beak.‭ ‬This has implied a possibly piscivorous specialisation as opposed to a more general carnivore.‭ ‬It has also been suggested that Bakonydraco may have also been a frugivore,‭ ‬feeding upon the fruit from plants.
       Another potential specialisation can be seen in the way that the lower jaw came together towards the tip.‭ ‬The mandible of Bakonydraco is made up of two halves like in other pterosaurs,‭ ‬and indeed most other creatures,‭ ‬but the front half is fused together.‭ ‬When fused the halves also become laterally compressed giving Bakonydraco a flattened‭ '‬spear tip‭' ‬appearance to its front jaw.‭ ‬It is hard to see with certainty how this adaptation helped Bakonydraco as its function is more down to how you interpret it.‭ ‬If Bakonydraco ate fish,‭ ‬the narrow jaw would have reduced water resistance allowing for faster and more precise strikes at prey.‭ ‬Alternatively if Bakonydraco was a frugivore the narrow jaw may have allowed Bakonydraco to pick fruit without the bulk of a larger beak pushing branches out of reach.

October unleashed. Cycnorhamphus

Like many early discovered pterosaurs the taxonomic history of Cycnorhamphus is quite muddled. Initially assigned to Pterodactylus, the first pterosaur discovered that ended up being treated like a wastebasket for almost any discovered pterosaur remains, Harry Seeley redesignated the specimen Cycnorhamphus. However another palaeontologist, Felix Plieninger, cited mistakes in the description and in 1907 rejected the split from Pterodactylus.

       Another specimen would be described in 1974 by Jacques Fabre, but under the name Gallodactylus canjuersensis. Even though similarities with the description of Cycnorhamphus were realised, the new genus went ahead because of the earlier mistakes in naming Cycnorhamphus. Finally in 1996, Christopher Bennet made Gallodactylus a synonym of Cycnorhamphus on the basis that the mistakes in Seeley's original description could not invalidate the genus.

       A 2010 study also by Bennet explained the differences between specimens as age and sex related. The changing morphology of pterosaurs as they grew up caused much confusion in the early years of pterosaur research, and not just for Cycnorhamphus but for many other genera. The revelation of how much pterosaurs changed as they grew would significantly shorten the once exhaustive lists of different pterosaur species when in fact only a handful were valid.

       Cycnorhamphus belongs to the family of pterosaurs that are noted for being filter feeders, although Cycnorhamphus does not seem to be as specialised as some others like Pterodaustro. The jaws of Cycnorhamphus are quite short when compared to some other members of the group and they only have teeth at the front, suggesting that Cycnorhamphus may have sifted through sediment for its food.

       Possibly to help with pushing its beak through the mud, the overall skull construction of Cycnorhamphus was very robust. Also a small crest approximately two centimetres high rose up from the back of the skull, although this feature was probably only developed in adults, especially males.

October unleashed. Cuspicephalus

The partially preserved skull of Cuspicephalus was first recovered in‭ ‬2009‭ ‬by Steve Etches,‭ ‬and is preserved on a slab of stone.‭ ‬Although incomplete the feature that stands out most at first glance is the enlarged nasoantorbital fenestra‭ (‬the opening that would be in front of the eye socket‭) ‬that is greater than half the total length of the skull.‭ ‬There is also the presence of the base of a head crest that would have risen upwards from the‭ ‬skull‭ ‬that according to the describers may have grown quite high.‭ ‬This is quite a reasonable supposition as pterosaurs that have large skull crests often have large fenestra as well in order to save on total skull weight.‭ ‬The nature of the crest material present also suggests that it was actually the base growth of the crest.‭ ‬Pterosaur crests are not thought to have always been solid bone throughout,‭ ‬with some being of softer body tissue that is weaker and does not preserve as well,‭ ‬but still has a more solid base.‭ ‬Softer material would actually be more able to change colour such as becoming more enriched during the breeding season,‭ ‬while becoming duller in other times of the year and individuals that were out of condition.
       Like with so many other pterosaurs the skull of Cuspicephalus has a rectangular cross section,‭ ‬something that would have increased strength while still remaining light weight.‭ ‬The dimensions of Cuspicephalus’s skull give it a rostral index of‭ ‬5.4,‭ ‬the largest of any other known pterosaur.‭ ‬Around a dozen teeth are present in the skull although the total amount for the living animal may be double this.‭ ‬The teeth are also largest at the front of the mouth and in other piscivorous pterosaurs this is seen as an adaptation to increase the chance of prey capture as the beak is dipped into the water to snatch a fish.‭ ‬It is also seen in some ctenochasmid pterosaurs however that strain invertebrates out of the water.‭ ‬While the lower jaw of Cuspicephalus is still unknown,‭ ‬the dentition here would have likely mirrored the upper jaw so that the teeth intermeshed together to create a better prey trap.
       Determining the phylogenetic placement of Cuspicephalus is difficult,‭ ‬not just because of the incomplete preservation of the remains but because they lack clearly identifiable group characterisitcs.‭ ‬While some have proposed a similarity to pterodactyloids like Germanodactylus,‭ ‬most palaeontologists recognise that it is more similar to wukongipteroid pterosaurs like Darwinopterus.‭ ‬Still the fossil material is not complete enough to confirm its identity either way which is why it retains a position within the Monofenestrata,‭ ‬an unranked group that is used as a junction point that leads into both the Pterodactyloidea and Wukongopteridae.
       Binomal animal names are usually based upon a defining physical characteristic and in this case both genus and species name reflect this.‭ ‬Cuspicephalus roughly translates as‭ ‘‬pointed snout‭’ ‬while the species name honours cartoonist Gerald Scarfe whose artistic style sees people drawn with pointed noses,‭ ‬something that could be interpreted as similar to the beak of a pterosaur.

October unleashed. Ctenochasma

 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 Ctenochasma have several hundred smaller and finer teeth creating a comb.‭ ‬All Ctenochasma would have to do is scoop up a beak full of water and allow it to drain out though its teeth.‭ ‬The teeth would filter out things like aquatic invertebrates leaving Ctenochasma with a mouthful of food.
       Unlike Pterodaustro which only had teeth for the bottom jaw,‭ ‬Ctenochasma had specialised teeth in the top jaw as well,‭ ‬and when brought together they could have formed a loose‭ '‬basket‭'‬.‭ ‬This could suggest that while Ctenochasma employed filter feeding as its chosen strategy,‭ ‬it may have had slightly different prey to others of its kind.‭ ‬One interesting feature that both Ctenochasma and Pterodaustro do share are‭ ‬similar‭ ‬scleral rings that indicate both of them lived nocturnal lifestyles.‭ ‬This is often explained as niche partitioning,‭ ‬for the nocturnal pterosaurs to avoid direct competition with other pterosaurs that are active during the daytime.‭ ‬However the fact that both of these pterosaurs were nocturnal may be explained by a greater more abundant food supply at night.‭
       Phytoplankton actually has its greatest concentration several meters below the water surface because when it is too close to the top it can actually become damaged or killed off by stronger ultraviolet radiation from the sun.‭ ‬This is why phytoplankton often rises nearer the surface at night,‭ ‬and when it rises,‭ ‬all the other small aquatic vertebrates that feed on it also rise up with it,‭ ‬into the range of any filter feeding pterosaurs that might be waiting.

October unleashed. Comodactylus

 Not much can be said about Comodactylus because it is only known from a fourth metacarpal, the hyper extended finger that made up the outer trailing edge of the wing. The prooportions of the bones have at least indicated that Comodactylus belongs within the Rhamphorhynchoidea, although if the size estimates are correct, then Comodactylus would have been very big for its group.
       The holotype specimen for Comodactylus had been sitting in museum storage for over a century until it was re-discovered and its original arrival harks back to the bone wars of the late nineteenth century. During this time fossil material was dug at such a fast rate that it was not possible for the two main antagonists (Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope) to examine all of it. Comodactylus is derived from the Como Bluff area where the specimen was recovered from. The species name C. ostromi is in honour of the palaeontologist John Ostrom. 

October unleashed. Coloborhynchus

The forward dentition of Coloborhynchus was quite special with the front two teeth pointing forwards,‭ ‬and the immediate three pairs of teeth behind them pointing to the sides.‭ ‬This tooth arrangement would have made it much easier for Coloborhynchus to catch and carry fish out of the water.‭ ‬The remaining teeth behind the front just pointed down.‭ ‬Coloborhynchus also had a keeled crest on the tip of its snout which was widest at its base and grew steadily thinner towards the top.
       Many species have been assigned to Coloborhynchus,‭ ‬however because the type specimen was described from only a partial upper jaw,‭ ‬it is uncertain how valid these species actually are.‭ ‬Usually the only thing that can be used is the way that the tooth sockets are arranged.
       The genus Coloborhynchus was created when Richard Owen rejected Harry Govier Seeley's creation of the Ornithocheirus genus from the various unnamed fossils that had been recovered from the Cambridge Greensand.‭ ‬This name change was actually conceived upon the grounds that Owen disagreed with the name‭ '‬bird hand‭' ‬being used for a reptile.‭ ‬Owen also created a second genus called Criorhynchus.
       Coloborhynchus was founded upon the basis that the two front teeth were the defining trait.‭ ‬However in‭ ‬1914‭ ‬Reginald Walter Hooley declared this trait as actually created by erosion of the fossil and were not representative of the living creature.‭ ‬Hooley absorbed Coloborhynchus into Criorhynchus,‭ ‬a decision that would be accepted for most of the twentieth century.
       In‭ ‬1992‭ ‬a pterosaur snout was recovered from the Paw Paw Formation of Texas,‭ ‬and this would start a shift towards re-evaluating the genus because when named in‭ ‬1994‭ ‬by Yuong-Nam Lee it was given the name Coloborhynchus wadleighi.‭ ‬This was the first use of the Coloborhynchus genus since it was absorbed into Criorhynchus although it has proved to be a dubious one.‭ ‬When re-examined in‭ ‬2008‭ ‬by Taissa Rodriguez and Alexander Kellner,‭ ‬the snout was assigned to a new genus called Uktendactylus,‭ ‬although some consider this genus to actually be dubious.
       More material found in the Brazilian Santana Formation was referred to Coloborhynchus at the start of the twenty-first century,‭ ‬however the material seemed to differ slightly from the original specification of Coloborhynchus by the lack of a snout crest.‭ ‬This has further complicated classification with material once associated with other pterosaurs being assigned to the Coloborhynchus genus.‭ ‬Furthermore,‭ ‬some researchers think that many of the South American pterosaurs cannot be assumed to belong to existing European pterosaurs because of subtle differences between specimens,‭ ‬as well as the fact that many specimens are so poorly preserved.
       The history of Coloborhynchus is convoluted to say the least,‭ ‬and the future looks like is going to be no clearer unless someone can find an amazingly well preserved specimen.

October unleashed. Chaoyangopterus

Determining the phylogenetic position of Chaoyangopterus was problematic to the extent that the Chaoyangopteridae has now been created within the Azhdarchoidea to accommodate it and other similar pterosaurs. Chaoyangopterus is toothless and is thought to have been a piscivore.

October unleashed. Changchengopterus

  It has been suggested that Changchengopterus was similar to the more well known Dorygnathus. As such Changchengopterus would have likely been a skim fisher snatching fish out of the water as it flew over.

October unleashed. Cearadactylus

 The holotype specimen of Cearadactylus was not dug out of the ground by a dedicated research team, but was instead purchased from fossil dealers in Italy in 1983. Unfortunately these fossil dealers made several mistakes in rebuilding the fossil, including mistaking the front of the lower jaw for the snout and setting it upside down and enlarging the teeth.

       When the skull was reconstructed properly by the National Museum of Brazil, the teeth were found to have formed a smaller 'rosette' for prey capture than the previous reconstruction. Also the presence of a crest on the snout was also clearly established leading to Cearadactylus being placed with the ornithocheiridae. 

       Because only the skull is known, the wingspan for Cearadactylus has had to be estimated by proportional comparison to other more complete pterosaurs of the group. However the methods of comparison can vary as well as being interpreted differently by different researchers. 

       A second skull was once attributed to Cearadactylus under the species name Cearadactylus ligabuei, but again fossil traders incorrectly reconstructed the material. Because the skull is composed of two main parts, many have questioned it the parts are actually from the same species. Subsequent study of this skull has seen it assigned to Anhanguera and Coloborhynchus by different researchers.

October unleashed. Caulkicephalus

Caulkicephalus had to be reconstructed from several fragments before it could be classified.‭ ‬Once pieced together the form of an ornithocheirid pterosaur was easy to see including the specialised fish catching dentition.‭ ‬Although only the replacement teeth that are still within the jaw have been preserved,‭ ‬the size of the actual teeth can be inferred by examining the size of the tooth sockets.‭
       The largest teeth were the third pair from the tip of the snout.‭ ‬The second and first pairs grew steadily smaller,‭ ‬but the pairs immediately behind the third pair dropped off on size dramatically until the pairs eight,‭ ‬nine and ten which were comparable to the first pair.‭ ‬The teeth towards the front of the mouth also projected outwards rather than straight down.‭ ‬This is a simple method of increasing the catch area of the teeth as Caulkicephalus tried to snatch fish from the water.‭
       Caulkicephalus is thought to have had a crest on its snout near the tip such as other members of its group including Ornithocheirus.‭ ‬Also examination of the Caulkicephalus cranium indicates the presence of a second crest that rose up from the back of the skull,‭ ‬perhaps in a similar manner to Pteranodon.
       For anyone unfamiliar with the name,‭ ‬a‭ '‬caulk head‭' ‬is a term of reference used for anyone coming from the Isle of Wright.

October unleashed. Cathayopterus

  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).

October unleashed. Campylognathoides

    Carniadactylus was born out of the realisation that a pterosaur specimen that was attributed to Eudimorphodon actually represented a different genus. Aside from being smaller than Eudimorphodon, one of the main areas of difference is the proportionately longer legs of Carniadactylus. Since it has now been placed within the campylognathoididae, Carniadactylus is considered to be similar to caviramus.
       Carniadactylus has multicusped teeth like in Eudimorphodon though not as worn. Because the teeth of Carniadactylus show very little wear it is thought that it may have fed upon soft bodied invertebrates that would have provided ample sustenance to keep its smaller body going.

October unleashed. Jianchangnathus

 Although Jianchangnathus has been found to have several similarities with Scaphognathus,‭ ‬its frontal teeth actually pointed forwards like with Dorygnathus.‭ ‬This may have been to make it easier for Jianchangnathus to pick up fish with its mouth,‭ ‬significantly increasing the chance of successful prey capture.
       Another pterosaur from the same deposit is Fenghuangopterus,‭ ‬a pterosaur which is thought to be different to Jianchangnathus on the basis of differing wing proportions and number of teeth.

October unleashed. Rhamphinion

Almost nothing is known about this pterosaur, not even its position and relationship amongst other pterosaurs, only that it is possibly a basal rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur based on the shape of its jugal and early appearance in the fossil record.

October unleashed. Rhamphocephalus

 Because of the fragmentary nature of Rhamphocephalus specimens it is hard to determine the kind of pterosaur that it was in life. Also the poor preservation of the specimens have led many to doubt if they actually represent a new genus, in fact the term wastebasket taxon has been applied to Rhamphocephalus much like it used to be applied to Pterodactylus. 

       The only thing that has been ascertained is that Rhamphocephalus was a basal pterosaur of the Rhamphorhyncoidea. Aside from its earlier presence in the fossil record, the wings between basal and advanced pterosaurs are proportionately different in the bone sizes.

October unleashed. Europejara

 Described in‭ ‬2012,‭ ‬Europejara has gone down as the first tapejarid pterosaur known from Europe.‭ ‬At the time of writing the only known fossils of this pterosaur are a partial skull and lower jaw.‭ ‬The preserved portion of the skull is two hundred and thirty millimetres long,‭ ‬though in life the skull is estimated to have been up to two hundred and fifty millimetres long.‭ ‬A crest was present on top of the skull which in life would have risen up and back over the skull,‭ ‬though the exact form of the crest has not been formed completely.‭ ‬A smaller crest was also present upon the bottom tip of the lower jaw.

October unleashed. Eurazhdarcho

Eurazhdarcho was named because of its location and its close relationship to the type genus of the azhdarchidae,‭ ‬Azdarcho.‭ ‬Unfortunately not much of Eurazhdarcho is known,‭ ‬and what has been preserved is in a very poor state of preservation.‭ ‬We don’t know yet exactly how big Eurazhdarcho was because there simply isn’t enough of the skeleton to know for certain.‭ ‬But azdarchid pterosaurs from Romania could grow big as evidenced by the pterosaur Hatzegopteryx,‭ ‬a possible contender for the largest pterosaur of all time.

October unleashed. Eopteranodon

 Eopteranodon gets its name from how its jaws and crest look like those on the more famous pterosaur Pteranodon that existed later in the Cretaceous of North America. Eopteranodon however was not only much smaller than Pteranodon but it is actually of a different pterosaur family.

October unleashed. Eoazhdarcho

  Originally thought to be a basal azdarchid,‭ ‬Eoazhdarcho is now placed in the Chaoyangopteridae,‭ ‬the group that includes Chaoyangopterus.‭ ‬This group still falls within the azdarchoidea,‭ ‬and with a‭ ‬1.6‭ ‬meter wingspan,‭ ‬Eoazhdarcho is one of the smaller members of the group.‭ ‬Eoazhdarcho has a toothless beak possibly indicating a similar stork lifestyle as has been hypothesized for the azdarchids.

October unleashed. Nurhachius

Nurhachius is perhaps most closely related to Istiodactylus even though the two are geographically separated by several thousand miles. However Nurhachius has a different skull which is lower with a slightly curved lower jaw.
       Nurhachius is named after the first khan of the Qing dynasty, who once ruled from the area where Nurhachius was found.

October unleashed. Normannognathus

 Despite being known from only scant fossil material, Normannognathus seems to have been a dsungaripterid pterosaur, a group noted for specialising in shellfish. The teeth seem to have covered at least the entire front portion of the jaws with teeth being present in the tip, although it is unknown how far back they go because the upper skull of Normannognathus is still unknown. The teeth are also robust and seem to be more suited for crushing than piercing soft flesh.
       Normannognathus also seems to have had a crest on its snout that came to an abrupt end, and this led some to point similarities between Normannognathus and the better known Dsungaripterus.

October unleashed. Noripterus

Noripterus appears to have been a scaled down version of Dsungaripterus complete with a more gracile build. However the discovery of a leg bone that was attributed to the new genus Phobetor in 1982 now casts doubts upon this. When studied again, along with further material attributed to Phobetor in 2009, the material was found to be identical to Noripterus, just larger, leading to Phobetor to be reclassed as a junior synonym of Noripterus. The inclusion of the Phobetor remains has since increased size estimates of Noripterus to a four meter Wingspan.

       Like Dsungaripterus, Noripterus had a specialised set of jaws that allowed it to dig out and eat shellfish. A crest was also present on top of the snout.

October unleashed. Ningchengopterus

Ningchengopterus was a very special find as it appears to be a very young juvenile specimen. The structure of the wings suggest that Ningchengopterus was flight capable even at this young age, which in turn helps to reinforce the theory that pterosaurs could fly not long after hatching, and were possibly independent from their parents. 

       No one knows how large Ningchengopterus could grow to or even what the diet of the adult Ningchengopterus was. However given the small size and dentition of the juvenile holotype specimen Ningchengopterus may well have been an insectivore in early life. If Ningchengopterus stayed that way or grew to tackle larger prey like fish or small vertebrates remains to be seen.

       As you may have already gathered, the name Ningchengopterus is in reference to the Ningcheng region. The species name, Ningchengopterus Liuae, is in honour of Ms Liu Jingyi who collected the fossil.

October unleashed. Nesodactylus

Nesodactylus was actually collected way back in 1918 by Barnum Brown, but it was not until the limestone blocks that the remains were in cased were dissolved in acid in 1966 that the remains became known. Not much can be said about the diet and lifestyle of Nesodactylus except that it was a basal pterosaur of the rhamphorhynchiod group.

October unleashed. Nemicolopterus

Nemicolopterus is currently regarded as the smallest known pterosaur, and it is almost inconceivable from looking at it that on the other end of the pterosaur size scale would be giants like Quetzalcoatlus and Hatzegopteryx with wingspans of eleven meters. The curved claws of Nemicolopterus indicate that it could have perched upon branches in the tree canopy, and maybe used them for climbing as well. By living in the tree canopy it could avoid the majority of the predators of the time and would have used its toothless beak to catch small insects, either in flight or plucking them from the trees.
       Since its discovery, it has been suggested that Nemicolopterus may actually represent the juvenile form of another pterosaur, most probably Sinopterus. These would fit with other juvenile forms of other pterosaurs that had a differing morphology and ecological niche to their adult kin. Only new fossil material from ideally both genera can resolve the issue without doubt.

October unleashed. Ludodactylus

  To realise the full meaning of the name Ludodactylus‭ (‬toy finger‭)‬,‭ ‬you may have to revisit your childhood.‭ ‬Whereas Pteranodon is by far the most easily recognised pterosaur by the general public,‭ ‬toys of it often have the presence of teeth in its jaws in order to make it look more ferocious.‭ ‬This is what you may call a deliberate error on the part of toy makers,‭ ‬especially when you realise that the name Pteranodon actually means‭ '‬Toothless beak‭'‬.‭ ‬Well the toy makers were actually ahead of their time because out of Brazil comes Ludodactylus,‭ ‬and not only does Ludodactylus sport a similar crest to Pteranodon but it also has teeth.‭ ‬Anyone who wanted an excuse to claim their old‭ '‬toothed Pteranodon‭' ‬toys as scale replicas can now do so,‭ ‬just remember to call them Ludodactylus.
       Although the crest is similar to Pteranodon,‭ ‬Ludodactylus actually belongs to the ornithocheirid group of pterosaurs,‭ ‬although it lacks any snout crests like others of its kind.‭ ‬Ludodactylus would have likely been a piscivore like other members of the group,‭ ‬relying upon its sharp teeth to seize fish in the water.‭ ‬The teeth are considerably larger towards the end of the jaws,‭ ‬reducing in size to actually be quite small towards the rear of the mouth.‭ ‬This may also indicate a skim fishing lifestyle where the tips of the jaws were dipped below the surface of the water while Ludodactylus was in flight.
       Ludodactylus has been considered to be the same pterosaur as Brasileodactylus,‭ ‬and if correct then Ludodactylus would become a synonym of Brasileodactylus.‭ ‬However this is so far not a certainty and the discovery of new fossil material may confirm Ludodactylus as either a synonym or a genus