The Pterodactylus was just one of many species of flying reptiles from the Late Jurassic Period. They belonged to the Pterosaur family, which ranged in size from 10 inches to as large as a fighter jet! The Pterodactylus was one of the smallest Pterosaurs, but this small bat-like reptile was quite the hunter!
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Some Quick Facts about the Pterodactylus

Name | Pterodactylus (means “Wing Finger”) |
Type of dinosaur | A Pterosaur or flying reptile, not a dinosaur |
Territory | Swamplands, Germany |
Size | Small, around 2 feet tall, a wingspan of 3 feet 5 inches |
Color | Darker body and wings, whitish neck and head |
Interesting Characteristics | A long, thin skull with a crest. Wings more like a bat than a bird, fingers extending from wings. |
Diet | Carnivore – Fish and small animals |
Major Threats | Climate change and larger dinosaurs |
The Pterodactylus was one of the smallest Pterosaurs and the first Pterosaur specimen identified by paleontologists. First described by Italian scientist Cosimo Alessandro Collini, the Pterodactylus was discovered in 1784.
In 1809, French naturalist Georges Cuvier gave the Pterodactylus its official name. Since this was the first ever of its kind, the tiny Pterodactylus caused quite a commotion in the scientific community!
What Does the Name Pterodactylus Mean?
Pterodactylus means “Winged finger” and refers to the fingers that extend beyond the wings. Their skin-like wings were similar to bat wings, with the skin stretching between long fingers. From the elongated fourth finger, the wings stretched down to the hind limbs.
Is a Pterodactyl a Pterodactylus?
There is no such thing as a Pterodactyl. Pterodactyl is a common use name for all types of Pterosauria. Pterodactyl is often used as an incorrect name for the Pteranodon, but Pterodactyl can refer to any member of this flying reptile family. Paleontology never uses the term “Pterodactyl” because it’s incorrect and causes a lot of confusion.
There is only one type of Pterodactylus. Many Pterosaurs that were once considered a species of Pterodactylus have been removed from the genus. Fossil records show that Diopecephalus kochi was once classified as Pterodactylus kochi.
There are quite a few other Pterosaurs that were once considered part of Pterodactylus:
- Aerodactylus
- Ardeadactylus
- Aurorazhdarcho
- Ctenochasma
- Germanodactylus
Basically, any flying reptile found in the Solnhofen Limestone Formation was considered a Pterodactylus at first.
After examining the Pterosaur specimens, paleontologists moved all the other Pterosaurs to a different genus. This left Pterodactylus antiquus as the only member of the Pterodactylus genus.
Are Pterodactylus close to today’s birds?
Even though they looked a lot like birds, modern birds did not descend from the Pterodactylus or other Pterosaurs. Flying was one of the few things Pterosaurs have in common with modern birds. In fact, Pterosaurs have more in common with crocodiles than they do with birds.
Could they walk?
Pterodactylus could fly and walk, but it was not the ordinary walk. Instead of hopping or walking on two feet, paleontologists believe the Pterodactylus would’ve crawled on all fours with most of its weight on the front legs! Because of this, paleontologists thought the Pterodactylus lived mostly in water like prehistoric crocodilians (like the Proterosuchus).
It wasn’t until 1860 that the scientific community accepted that the Pterodactylus lived on land and could fly.
Where Were Pterodactylus Found?
Most Pterodactylus fossils were found in the Solnhofen Limestone Formation in Bavaria, Germany. These specimens of Pterodactylus were well-preserved and in excellent form.
Both young and adult specimens of the Pterodactylus were found together in the Solnhofen Limestone, suggesting that they lived in family groups near each other.
A massive Late Cretaceous Pterodactyloid called Quetzalcoatlus was the first Pterosaur found outside Germany. Quetzalcoatlus was discovered in Texas and was the largest of the flying reptiles.
Their wingspan was up to 36 feet and they could fly 67 miles per hour! That’s as big as a fighter jet and almost as fast as a cheetah!