Description

Anurognathus Doderlein Skull Plaque measures 3.5×2.6×1 inches. Anurognathus Doderlein Skull Plaque is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in USA. Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home decor skull, or office decor skull.

Only known specimen. Pterosaur of Jurassic Solnhofen. Short tail, long wings, short deep skull.

Anurognathus ammoni is a genus of small pterosaur that lived during the late Jurassic Period (Tithonian stage).

Anurognathus ammoni had a short head with pin-like teeth for catching insects and although it traditionally is ascribed to the long-tailed pterosaur group “Rhamphorhynchoidea”, its tail was comparatively short, allowing it more maneuverability for hunting.

According to Döderlein the reduced tail of  Anurognathus Doderlein or Anurognathus ammoni was similar to the pygostyle of modern birds. Anurognathus ammoni more typical “rhamphorhynchoid” characters include its elongated fifth toe and short metacarpals and neck. With an estimated wingspan of 20 inches and a nine centimeter long body, its weight was limited.

A second, smaller specimen was found, probably of a subadult individual. Its slab and counter slab are separated and both were sold to private collections; neither has an official registration.

It was described by S. Christopher Bennet in 2007. This second exemplar is much more complete and better articulated. It shows impressions of a large part of the flight membrane and under UV-light remains of the muscles of the thigh and arm become visible. It provided new information on many points of the anatomy.

The skull was shown to have been very short and broad, wider than long. It transpired that Wellnhofer had incorrectly reconstructed the skull in 1975, mistaking the large eye sockets for the fenestrae antorbitales, skull openings that in most pterosaurs are larger than the orbits but in Anurognathus are small and together with the nostrils placed at the front of the flat snout. The eyes pointed forwards to a degree, providing some binocular vision.

Most of the skull consisted of bone struts.

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Additional information

Weight 2 lbs
Dimensions 3.5 × 2.6 × 1 in
Anurognathus Doderlein Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: †Pterosauria
Family: †Anurognathidae
Subfamily: †Anurognathinae
Genus: †Anurognathus
Species: †A. ammoni
Binomial name: †Anurognathus ammoni
Conservation Status: Extinct