Rhamphorhynchus

Rhamphorhynchus
	Replica of the specimen YPM 1778 by R. muensteri from Eichstätt with impressions of the flight skin in situ
Temporal occurrence
	Callovium to Tithonium (Middle to Upper Jurassic )
	166.1 to 145 million years
Locations
	Europe; Tanzania;
Systematics
	Sauropsida
	Archosauria
	Ornithodira
	Flugsaurier (Pterosauria)
	Rhamphorhynchidae
	Rhamphorhynchus
Scientific name
	Rhamphorhynchus
	Meyer , 1846

Rhamphorhynchus ("Schnabel-Schnauze") was a genus of long-tailed pterosaurs from the Upper Jurassic . Fossils were found at Tendaguru in Tanzania, in England as well as in the Nusplinger Plattenkalk in Württemberg and near Solnhofen and Eichstätt in the Bavarian Franconia . In the Bavarian Solnhofen is Rhamphorhynchus the most common encountered pterosaurs. Some of the specimens are so well preserved that the flight membrane can still be seen. As with all of the original forms, Rhamphorhynchus still had a long tailstiffenedby ligaments and with a diamond-shaped skin sail at its end that helped steer it.

Rhamphorhynchus had relatively large, forward-facing teeth in the upper jaw 20 and in the lower jaw 14, which alternately interlocked when the jaw was closed . Based on this dentition, most species were probably fish-eaters ; one specimen from Solnhofen still contained remains of the last fish meal. The skulls of the specimens found have lengths between 3 ( R. longicaudus ) and 19 centimeters ( R. longiceps ). The wingspan is between 40 centimeters and 1.75 meters ( R. longiceps ).

R. muensteri from Solnhofen with prints of the flight skin in situ
R. gemmingi , living reconstruction

literature

Peter Wellnhofer : Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs. Crescent Books, New York NY 1991, ISBN 0-517-03701-7 .

Web links

Commons : Rhamphorhynchus - collection of images, videos and audio files

Rhamphorhynchus in the Senckenberg Nature Museum

Individual evidence

↑ Peter Wellnhofer: The great encyclopedia of the pterosaurs. Illustrated natural history of the flying dinosaurs. 100 species. Mosaik-Verlag, Munich 1993, ISBN 3-576-10174-8 .

[1] Peter Wellnhofer: The great encyclopedia of the pterosaurs. Illustrated natural history of the flying dinosaurs. 100 species. Mosaik-Verlag, Munich 1993, ISBN 3-576-10174-8 .