Scaphognathus

Scaphognathus; Temporal range: Late Jurassic,
	Cast of the holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Unrecognized taxon (fix):	Scaphognathus
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;

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

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]

Scaphognathus Media

A. Goldfuss' illustration of the type specimen
Scaphognathus showing an hypothetical raptorial behavior
1905 restoration of Scaphognathus (right) and other pterosaurs

References

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

[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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