Rhamphorhynchus

Rhamphoryhnchus was a pterosaur, or flying reptile, that lived in the Late Jurassic (about 150 million years ago) in what is now Europe. Although it is superficially similar in some ways to bats and birds, it is not related to either group. It is easily recognizable by its beak-like snout and long tail. The best Rhamphorhynchus fossils come from a limestone quarry in Solnhofen, Bavaria. All of the fossils from this locality are incredibly well preserved, leaving little doubt about what the animals looked like in life.

History: The first Rhamphorhychus fossil was found in 1825, and was first thought to be an ancient bird. Under closer examination, it became clear that it had teeth, similar to Pterodactylus, the first pterosaur that had just been described. A quick comparison told the scientists that the new ‘bird’ fossil was really a pterosaur, but unlike Pterodactylus, this new pterosaur had a very long tail.