Name:
Scaphognathus
(Tub jaw).
Phonetic: Ska-for-nath-us.
Named By: Johann Wagner - 1861.
Synonyms: Brachytrachelus crassirostris,
Pachyrhamphus
crassirostris, Pterodactylus crassirostris, Ornithocephalus
crassirostris, Rhamphorhynchus crassirostris.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Pterosauria,
Rhamphorhynchoidea, Rhamphorhynchidae, Scaphognathinae.
Species: S. crassirostris (type).
Type: Probably an insectivore.
Size: 90 centimetre wingspan.
Known locations: Germany - Solnhofen Limestone.
Time period: Kimmeridgian of the Jurassic.
Fossil representation: Three specimens.
Scaphognathus
acquired the somewhat unglamorous name of 'Tub jaw' because of the
robust snout construction. Still when first described, Scaphognathus
was included into the pterodactyloidea because of the lack of a tail.
This lack of tail actually misled the original examiner as in realty it
had just failed to fossilise with the rest of the specimen. A second
individual of Scaphognathus had the tail preserved
and this discovery
brought the revelation that Scaphognathus instead
belonged with the
basal rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs.
The
teeth of Scaphognathus are widely spaced and
arranged vertically.
Scaphognathus could quite easily have lived an
insectivorous lifestyle,
although other prey items are not completely out of the question.
The
skull of Scaphognathus is the key area that makes
it identifiable, and
across the top of the skull is a bony growth. This bone may have
actually been the support for a head crest in life, although so far no
crest has been found with any of the specimens. This does not
necessarily mean there was no crest in life, as had there been one it
would likely have been made from soft tissue such as keratin, which
does not preserve well if at all.
Apart
from differences in the skull, Scaphognathus was
morphologically
similar to Rhamphorhynchus
and Harpactognathus,
particularly with a
potential crest similarity to Harpactognathus.
Also, like
Rhamphorhynchus, scleral rings indicate Scaphognathus
was probably
nocturnal.
Further reading
- Pterodactylus crassirostris. - Isis von Oken, Jena pp. 552–553. - G.
A. Goldfuss. - 1830.
New information on the pterosaur Scaphognathus crassirostris
and the
pterosaurian cervical series. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology,
24(Supplement to #3):38A - S. . Bennett - 2004.