Istiodactylus

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Istiodactylus
Fossil range: Early Cretaceous

Extinct (fossil)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Pterosauria
Suborder:	Pterodactyloidea
Family:	Ornithocheiridae
Genus:	Istiodactylus
Species:	I. latidens

Binomial name

Istiodactylus latidens
Howse, S. C. B., Milner, A. R. and Martill, D. M 2001

Istiodactylus was a medium sized pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous period.

Discovered in Isle of Wight rock, Istiodactylus was originally named Ornithodesmus latidens by H.G.Seeley in 1901 and was fully described by R.W. Hooley in 1913. The type species of the genus Ornithodesmus was later discovered to be based on the material of a theropod dinosaur, which meant a new genus had to be named for O. latidens. This species was assigned to its own genus Istiodactylus by Howse, Miller, and Martill in 2001. Since then, a second species, I. sinensis, has also been discovered.

This was a moderately large pterosaur; its skull was 65 cm long, and its wingspan was probably in the 5 meter range. This makes it about half the size of Pteranodon, the most famous pterosaur. Because of the flat, rounded shape of its beak, Istiodactylus is sometimes called the Duck Billed Pterosaur. However, unlike a duck, it had small, sharp teeth that allowed the capture of fish, its main prey.