A specimen of Rhamphorhynchus with soft tissue preservation, stomach contents and a putative coprolite.

David Hone,François Therrien,Donald M Henderson,Michael B Habib

doi:10.7717/peerj.1191

Abstract

Despite being known for nearly two centuries, new specimens of the derived non-pterodactyloid pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus continue to be discovered and reveal new information about their anatomy and palaeobiology. Here we describe a specimen held in the collections of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Alberta, Canada that shows both preservation and impressions of soft tissues, and also preserves material interpreted as stomach contents of vertebrate remains and, uniquely, a putative coprolite. The specimen also preserves additional evidence for fibers in the uropatagium.

Highlights

Rhamphorhynchus is a derived non-pterodactyloid pterosaur known primarily from the Late Jurassic ‘plattenkalk’ beds of the Solnhofen region in southern Germany
Based on the size of the animal and the fusion of various skeletal elements, the specimen TMP 2008.41.001 is considered close to adult status, though there is a mixture of immature and mature characteristics present
A number of fused elements show that this animal is not a young juvenile—the scapula is fused to the coracoid and the wing extensor tendon process is fully fused to wing phalanx 1 with an obliterated suture (Figs. 3, 5 and 6)

Summary

Introduction

Rhamphorhynchus is a derived non-pterodactyloid pterosaur known primarily from the Late Jurassic ‘plattenkalk’ beds of the Solnhofen region in southern Germany. How to cite this article Hone et al (2015), A specimen of Rhamphorhynchus with soft tissue preservation, stomach contents and a putative coprolite.

Results

Conclusion