Rhamphorhynchus

Rhamphorhynchus was one of the last tailed pterosaurs, in the subgroup named after it, the rhamphorhyncoids. Rhamphorhynchus fossils have been discovered in the Solnhofen region of Germany. These amazingly detailed finds consist of impressions of soft tissues such as wing membranes and other fossilized bones. Rhamphorhynchus has also been discovered in England, Tanzania, Portugal, and Spain.

The tiny grains of the Solnhofen rocks allow minute details to be seen in the fossils of Rhamphorhynchus. Small elastic fibers no thicker than cotton threads can be seen in the wings. An interesting fact is that most pterosaur fossils are found in rocks formed on the sea bed, rather than on land. This is also suggestive that pterosaurs fed on fish, swooping over the water to catch their prey with their toothed bills. Occasionally a pterosaur fell in, drowned, sank, and was preserved.

Rhamphorhynchus had stick-shaped teeth pointing sideways and forward. It had big eyes towards the back of its big head, small nostrils in the front, and very long, slender, bill-like, pointy jaws. Rhamphorhynchus had a short, strong neck and a large chest with a big breastbone to anchor the powerful wing-flapping muscles. There are many different species of Rhamphorhynchus, and they were all different in sizes. The smallest had a wingspan of only 16 inches. The largest had wing spans of 6 feet across.