Aerodactylus
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Aerodactylus scolopaciceps used to be considered a species of Pterodactylus, until paleontologist Steven Vidovic and David Martill argued it deserves its own genus. And yes, it's named after the Pokemon Aerodactyl. This small pterosaur lived in the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Plattenkalk, at the time a tropical coastal archipelago. Its anatomy is pretty standard for a Solnhofen pterosaur - lots of tiny needle-sized teeth well-equipped for snatching small aquatic animals, a reasonably-sized neck with a throat pouch, and fairly long wings. Interestingly, it's only known from immature individuals. It has a soft tissue crest on the top of the head that extends posteriorly and a tiny beak at the very tip of the narrow jaws. Five Aerodactylus live in the Solnhofen Aviary, located in the Jurassic section of the Aquarium. Two of them live in a bonded pair, and the others have formed a trio. The groups eat, fly, and roost together. And they chirp adorably. |
Scientific name Location Time Wingspan Diet |