Eudimorphodon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Eudimorphodon Fossil range: Late Triassic
life restoration of Eudimorphodon
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Pterosauria Suborder: Rhamphorhynchoidea Family: Campylognathoididae Genus: Eudimorphodon Zambelli, 1973
Species
E. ranzii Zambelli, 1973 (type) E. rosenfeldi Dalla Vecchia, 1995 E. cromptonellus Jenkins et al., 2001

Eudimorphodon was a pterosaur that lived around present Italy during the Late Triassic. It had a wingspan of about 100 centimetres and at the end of its long bony tail was perhaps a diamond-shaped flap. The flap may have helped it steer while in the air. It showed a strong differentiation of the teeth, hence its name "true dimorphic tooth". The species, then the oldest pterosaurian known, was found in 1973 by Mario Pandolfi and described that same year by Rocco Zambelli. Despite its age it has few primitive characteristics.

Eudimorphodon is known from several skeletons, including juvenile specimens.

[edit] References

• Dixon, Dougal. "The Complete Book of Dinosaurs." Hermes House, 2006.

• Fantastic Facts About Dinosaurs (ISBN 0-7525-3166-2)