Category
page 4Pterosaur genera
Apatorhamphus
Apatorhamphus is an extinct genus of azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Kem Kem Group of Morocco. It might have been part of the Chaoyangopteridae. It is only known from a few snout fragments and it likely had a wingspan of between
Austriadraco
Austriadraco is a genus of pterosaur living during the Late Triassic (Norian stage, 217-213 million years ago) in the area of present Austria. Its only species—Austriadraco dallavecchiai—was previously attributed to Eudimorphodon, and its closest relatives may have been Eudimorphodon or Arcticodactylus.
Uktenadactylus
Uktenadactylus is a genus of anhanguerid pterodactyloid pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Paw Paw Formation of Texas, United States and the Wessex Formation on the Isle of Wight, England. Fossil remains of Uktenadactylus dated back to the Early Cretaceous period (Barremian to Albian stages), from about 125 to 100 million years ago.
Tacuadactylus
Tacuadactylus is a genus of ctenochasmatid pterosaur from the Late Jurassic of Uruguay.
Qinglongopterus
Qinglongopterus is a genus of rhamphorhynchid pterosaur from the Middle/Upper Jurassic of Mutoudeng, Qinglong County, Hebei Province, China. Qinglongopterus is known from only one specimen; D3080/3081, a nearly complete skeleton collected from the Tiaojishan Formation. It was described by Lü Junchang et al. in 2012. The type species is Qinglongopterus guoi.
Elanodactylus
Elanodactylus (meaning "Kite finger") is a genus of ctenochasmatid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous period (early Aptian stage) of what is now the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China.
Doratorhynchus
Doratorhynchus is a generic replacement name for Pterodactylus validus, in 1875 suggested by Harry Govier Seeley. Today it is considered a nomen vanum.
Nicorhynchus
Nicorhynchus (meaning "knucker snout", in reference to its likely ecology) is a genus of anhanguerid pterosaur from the Cretaceous period. It contains two species, the type species, N. capito, from the Cambridge Greensand of England, and N. fluviferox from the Kem Kem Group of Morocco. These species were previously assigned to Coloborhynchus.
Luchibang
Luchibang (meaning "Lü's heron wing") is an extinct genus of istiodactylid pterosaur discovered in Inner Mongolia, China. The type and only species is Luchibang xingzhe. The genus was initially established on the basis of a supposed nearly complete skeleton and skull, although later analysis of the specimen revealed that it represents a chimera, with the Luchibang holotype restricted to the end of the snout.
Serradraco
Serradraco is a genus of Early Cretaceous pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Valanginian aged Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation in England. Named by Rigal et al. in 2018 with the description of a second specimen, it contains a single species, S. sagittirostris, which was formerly considered a species of Lonchodectes, L. sagittirostris. Although it has been interpreted as a probable lonchodectid, a subsequent study suggested it did not belong in Lonchodectidae.
Douzhanopterus
Douzhanopterus is an extinct genus of monofenestratan pterosaur from the Late Jurassic of Liaoning, China. It contains a single species, D. zhengi, named by Wang et al. in 2017. In many respects, it represents a transitional form between basal pterosaurs and the more specialized pterodactyloids; for instance, its tail is intermediate in length, still being about twice the length of the femur but relatively shorter compared to that of the more basal Wukongopteridae. Other intermediate traits include the relative lengths of the neck vertebrae and the retention of two, albeit reduced, phalanx bon
Jidapterus
Jidapterus is a genus of chaoyangopterid pterosaur from the Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang, Liaoning, China. The genus was in 2003 named by Dong Zhiming, Sun Yue-Wu and Wu Shao-Yuan. The type species is Jidapterus edentus. The genus name is derived from Jílín Dàxué or "Jilin University" and a Latinized Greek pteron, "wing". The specific name means "toothless" in Latin.
Fenghuangopterus
Fenghuangopterus is a genus of basal pterosaur that lived in northeastern China during the Middle Jurassic.
Longchengpterus
Longchengpterus, sometimes misspelled as "Lonchengopterus", is a genus of istiodactylid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Barremian-Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang, Liaoning, China. Its fossil remains dated back about 120 million years ago.
Aerodraco
Aerodraco (meaning "air dragon") is a genus of anhanguerid pterosaur from the Albian–Cenomanian-age Cambridge Greensand of England. It contains only one species, Aerodraco sedgwickii. It was originally assigned to the genus Pterodactylus.
Samrukia nessovi
Samrukia is a genus of large Cretaceous pterosaurs known only from a single lower jaw discovered in Kazakhstan. The holotype and only known specimen was collected from the Santonian-Campanian age Bostobynskaya Formation in Kyzylorda District. It was described by Darren Naish, Gareth Dyke, Andrea Cau, François Escuillié, and Pascal Godefroit in 2012, and the type species is named Samrukia nessovi. The species is named after Lev Nessov, a paleontologist, and the genus is named after Samruk, a magical bird of Kazakh folklore.
Ceoptera
Ceoptera (meaning "mist wing") is an extinct genus of darwinopteran pterosaur from the Middle Jurassic Kilmaluag Formation of Scotland. The genus contains a single species, C. evansae, known from a partial skeleton discovered in 2006 and named in 2024. It is the only pterosaur from the Kilmaluag Formation and the second pterosaur named from Scotland, after Dearc in 2022. As one of the only pterosaur skeletons known from the Middle Jurassic, its discovery contributed to understanding the early diversification of the group. Belonging to the group Darwinoptera, a group intermediate between early
Meilifeilong
Meilifeilong () is an extinct genus of chaoyangopterid pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of China. The genus contains two species. The type species, M. youhao, was described in 2023 based on an almost complete skeleton and a partial isolated skull. The second species, M. sanyainus, was described earlier in 2023 as a species of Shenzhoupterus, based on a complete skull and skeleton. Meilifeilong is the best-preserved and most complete chaoyangopterid currently known.
Leptostomia
Leptostomia () is an extinct genus of pterosaur that lived during the Cenomanian and possibly Albian stages of the ?Early-Late Cretaceous period in what is now Morocco, North Africa. Leptostomia is known from only two isolated rostrum (beak) fragments. In 2021, paleontologist Roy E. Smith and colleagues named the type and only known species, Leptostomia begaaensis, based on these fossils. Leptostomia is a small pterosaur, with the complete skull length estimated between , making it much smaller than many contemporary pterosaurs. The beak of Leptostomia is remarkably long, narrow, and compresse
Epapatelo
Epapatelo (meaning "wing") is a genus of pteranodontian pterosaur from the late Cretaceous Mocuio Formation of Namibe Province, Angola. The genus contains a single species, E. otyikokolo, known from partial left limb bones.
Eotephradactylus
Eotephradactylus (meaning "ash-winged dawn goddess") is an extinct genus of pterosaurs known from the Late Triassic of what is now Arizona, United States. The genus contains a single species, Eotephradactylus mcintireae, discovered in 2011 and named in 2025. It is known from part of the lower jaw, isolated teeth, and possibly a wing bone found in the Chinle Formation, which dates to the Norian age. These bones were found in a bone bed in addition to many other species, including various fish, mammal precursors, turtles, and other reptiles.
Galgadraco
Galgadraco is an extinct genus of azhdarchid pterosaurs known from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian age) Serra da Galga Formation of Brazil. The genus contains a single species, Galgadraco zephyrius, known from a fragment of the upper beak. It represents the first pterosaur described from the Bauru Group.
Jianchangopterus
Jianchangopterus (meaning "wing from Jianchang") is an extinct genus of rhamphorhynchid pterosaur from the Middle Jurassic of western Liaoning, China. Jianchangopterus is known from a nearly complete skeleton with skull preserved. It was collected from the Tiaojishan Formation. It was first named (after Jianchang County) by Lü Junchang and Bo Xue in 2011 and the type species is Jianchangopterus zhaoianus, named for Zhao Limin, who was instrumental in the study of the only known fossil.
==Discovery and naming==
The holotype, and only known fossil, of Jianchangopterus is a fully-complete skeleto
Hongshanopterus
Hongshanopterus is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning, China.
Cimoliornis
Cimoliornis is a pterosaur genus containing the single species Cimoliornis diomedeus, meaning "long-winged bird of the chalk". It is known from a partial metacarpal (lower wing bone) found in late Cretaceous period English Chalk Formation of the UK.
Pangupterus
Pangupterus (meaning Pangu wing) is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of China. It was first described and named by Lü Junchang et al.
Luopterus
Luopterus (meaning "Lü Junchang's wing") is an extinct genus of anurognathid pterosaur containing only the holotype species L. mutoudengensis that is known from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Qinglong, northern Hebei Province, China. It was originally named as a species of Dendrorhynchoides in 2012 but it was moved to the genus Luopterus in 2020. Luopterus was originally thought to be from the Early Cretaceous, with a wingspan that is about , making it one of the smallest known pterosaurs.
Propterodactylus
Propterodactylus (meaning "before Pterodactylus") is an extinct genus of transitional monofenestratan pterosaurs from the Late Jurassic Painten Formation of Germany. The genus contains a single species, P. frankerlae, known from a complete articulated skeleton. Before its naming, Propterodactylus was referred to as the "Painten " in the scientific literature.
Cuspicephalus
Cuspicephalus is an extinct genus of monofenestratan pterosaur known from Dorset in England. Its fossil remains date back to the Late Jurassic period.
Palaeocursornis
Palaeocursornis is a dubious genus of avemetatarsalian, probably an azhdarchoid pterosaur.
Daohugoupterus
Daohugoupterus is a genus of pterosaur from the Middle to Late Jurassic Daohugou Beds of the Tiaojishan Formation in Inner Mongolia, China.
Camposipterus
Camposipterus is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of England. Fossil remains of Camposipterus dated back to the Early Cretaceous, about 112 million years ago.
Huaxiadraco
Huaxiadraco (meaning "Hua Xia [China] dragon") is a genus of tapejarid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang, Liaoning, China. It is the third valid genus of tapejarid from the Jehol Biota, after Sinopterus and Eopteranodon. It contains one species, Huaxiadraco corollatus, originally assigned to the defunct genus Huaxiapterus.
Akharhynchus
Akharhynchus (meaning "another snout") is an extinct genus of tropeognathine pteranodontoid pterosaurs possibly from the Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of Morocco. The genus contains a single species, A. martilli, known from a small fragment of the premaxillae.
Wenupteryx
Wenupteryx is an extinct genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur known from the Late Jurassic (Tithonian stage) Vaca Muerta of Neuquén Province, southern Argentina. It was first named by Laura Codorniú and Zulma Gasparini in 2013 and the type species is Wenupteryx uzi. It is a small-sized pterosaur related to the clade Euctenochasmatia or Archaeopterodactyloidea.
Wightia
genus of reptiles (fossil)
Spathagnathus
Spathagnathus (meaning "spatula jaw") is a genus of ctenochasmatid pterosaur from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone of Germany. The type and only species is Spathagnathus roeperi, known from a single jawbone. It is the oldest known member of Gnathosaurinae, and the second pterosaur from the Solnhofen's Brunn quarry after the rhamphorhynchid Bellubrunnus. The unique dental anatomy of the taxon is thought to indicate a diet of tough, hard-shelled prey items.
Cascocauda
Cascocauda (meaning "ancient tail") is an extinct genus of anurognathid pterosaurs from the Late–Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Hebei Province, China. The genus contains a single species, C. rong, known from a complete skeleton belonging to a juvenile individual preserved with extensive soft-tissues, including wing membranes and a dense covering of pycnofibres. Some of these pycnofibres appear to be branched, resembling the feathers of maniraptora theropod dinosaurs, suggesting that pterosaur pycnofibres may be closely related to feathers in dinosaurs.
Utahdactylus kateae
Utahdactylus was a genus of extinct reptile from the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian-age Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Utah, United States. Based on DM 002/CEUM 32588 (an incomplete skeleton described as including a fragment of the skull, a cervical vertebra, three back vertebrae, and a caudal vertebra, ribs, a scapula, coracoid, and limb bones), Czerkas and Mickelson (2002) identified it as a "rhamphorhynchoid" pterosaur. Bennett (2007) later concluded that it has no diagnostic features of the Pterosauria, and cannot be positively identified beyond being an indeterminate diapsid. More recent wo
Prejanopterus
Prejanopterus is an extinct genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous (lower Aptian age) layers of the Leza Formation of La Rioja, Spain.
Pachagnathus
Pachagnathus ("earth jaw") is an extinct genus of non-pterodactyloid pterosaur from the late Norian–early Rhaetian-aged Quebrada del Barro Formation of Argentina. It lived in the Late Triassic period (217-201 million years ago), and is one of the only known definitive Triassic pterosaurs from the southern hemisphere (along with the contemporaneous and related Yelaphomte). It is also one of the few known continental Triassic pterosaurs, indicating that the absence of early pterosaurs in both the southern hemisphere and terrestrial environments is likely a sampling bias, and not a true absence.
Yixianopterus
Yixianopterus is a pterodactyloid pterosaur genus from the Barremian-Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China. It is known from a single specimen, holotype JZMP-V-12, housed at the Benxi Geological Museum. This specimen was modified before acquisition, with much of the skull being fabricated. The Jinggangshan bedding in which the specimen was found is basaltic with siliciclastic sediments. Many organisms associated with this layer of the Yixian Formation are aquatic, indicating a marine environment with much volcanic activity.
Lonchognathosaurus acutirostris
Lonchognathosaurus is a genus of dsungaripterid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Aptian-Albian-age Lower Cretaceous Lianmuqin Formation of Xinjiang, China.
Melkamter
Melkamter () (meaning "winged lizard") is an extinct genus of monofenestratan pterosaurs from the Early Jurassic Cañadón Asfalto Formation of Argentina. The genus contains a single species, M. pateko, known from a partial skull and fragmentary postcranium. Melkamter represents the oldest known monofenestratan pterosaur in the fossil record.
Skiphosoura
Skiphosoura (meaning "sword tail") is an extinct genus of pterodactyliform pterosaurs from the Late Jurassic Mörnsheim Formation of Germany. The genus contains a single species, S. bavarica, known from a nearly complete skeleton including a partial skull. Skiphosoura exhibits a transitional body morphology between more basal pterosaurs and later pterodactyloids.
Lingyuanopterus
Lingyuanopterus () is a genus of istiodactylid pterosaur from the Aptian age Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoning, China. The type and only species is L. camposi, known from the holotype specimen IVPP V 17940 a near complete skull, mandible and atlas-axis complex.
Bakiribu
Bakiribu () is an extinct genus of ctenochasmatid pterosaurs known from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian age) Romualdo Formation of Brazil. The genus contains a single species, Bakiribu waridza, known from the fragment remains of two individuals preserved in a regurgitalite. This indicates the pair may have been consumed by a spinosaurid theropod dinosaur. It represents the first member of the broader clade Archaeopterodactyloidea described from the Romualdo Formation. Bakiribu has a unique pattern of closely-packed comblike teeth in the upper and lower jaws that may have been used for filt
Gobiazhdarcho
Gobiazhdarcho () is an extinct genus of azhdarchid pterosaurs known from the Late Cretaceous Bayanshiree Formation of Mongolia. The genus contains a single species, Gobiazhdarcho tsogtbaatari, known from a three cervical (neck) vertebrae. It was closely related to Quetzalcoatlus and coexisted with Tsogtopteryx, another azhdarchid more closely related to Hatzegopteryx.
Orientognathus
Orientognathus is a genus of rhamphorhynchid pterosaur from the Middle Jurassic of China. It is known from a single specimen which includes most of the skeleton and skull, and was first named and described in 2015 by Lü Junchang et al.. The taxon was found in the Tuchengzi Formation of China, which is slightly younger than the Tiaojishan Formation that most other Middle Jurassic pterosaurs from the region have been found in. The description study produced a phylogenetic analysis, which determined that Orientognathus was a basal member of Rhamphorhynchidae, possibly within Rhamphorhynchinae.
Tsogtopteryx
Tsogtopteryx () is an extinct genus of azhdarchid pterosaurs known from the Late Cretaceous Bayanshiree Formation of Mongolia. The genus contains a single species, Tsogtopteryx mongoliensis, known from most of a cervical (neck) vertebra. It was closely related to Hatzegopteryx, and coexisted with Gobiazhdarcho, another azhdarchid more closely related to Quetzalcoatlus.
Yelaphomte
Yelaphomte (Allentiac, "beast of the air") is an extinct genus of non-pterodactyloid pterosaur from the late Norian–early Rhaetian-aged Quebrada del Barro Formation of Argentina. It lived in the Late Triassic period (somewhere between 217-201 million years ago), and is one of the only known definitive Triassic pterosaurs from the southern hemisphere (along with the contemporaneous and related Pachagnathus). It was a small and crested pterosaur, although its small size may be due to immaturity. It is also one of the few known continental Triassic pterosaurs, indicating that the absence of early
Pterofiltrus
Pterofiltrus is a genus of ctenochasmatid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of western Liaoning, China.
Puntanipterus globosus
Puntanipterus is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous period (Aptian stage) La Cruz Formation of San Luis, Argentina.
Forfexopterus
Forfexopterus (meaning "scissor wings") is a genus of ctenochasmatid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in China. It contains a single species, F. jeholensis, named from a mostly complete skeleton by Shunxing Jiang and colleagues in 2016. A second specimen, consisting of a wing, was described in 2020. While the first specimen is larger, it shows signs of being less mature than the second specimen, indicating that the developmental trajectories of Forfexopterus were variable. Like other ctenochasmatids, Forfexopterus had a long, low skull filled with many slender teeth; unl
Saratovia
Saratovia is a genus of targaryendraconian pterosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous in what is now Russia. The genus contains a single species, S. glickmani, known from a partial lower jawbone, and is named after the city of Saratov, where the specimen was found, and its discover Leonid S. Glickman. The fossil comes from sedimentary rocks of the Melovatka Formation. Uncovered in the 1940s, the only specimen was assigned to various genera such as Ornithocheirus, Anhanguera and Coloborhynchus before being recognized as a new taxon and named in 2025. Likewise, though long thought to belon