JurassicCarnivoreSmall
Rhamphorhynchus
ram-foh-RINK-us
"beak snout"
Overview
Rhamphorhynchus was a long-tailed pterosaur of the Late Jurassic, famed for the superbly preserved Solnhofen fossils that reveal wing membranes and stomach contents. It fished over warm lagoons with a 1.8-metre wingspan and a toothy, needle-like beak.
Vital Statistics
Length
1.8 m
Height
0.4 m
Weight
1 kg
Est. Speed
40 km/h
Discovered
1831
Named by
Hermann von Meyer
Countries Discovered
Germany
Interesting Facts
Solnhofen specimens preserve soft-tissue wing membranes and fish gut contents.
Possessed a long, stiffened tail tipped with a diamond-shaped vane.
Teeth were ideal for grasping slippery fish.
Among the best-understood of all long-tailed pterosaurs.
Closest Relatives
ScaphognathusDorygnathusCacibupteryx