Shenzhoupterus
Art: Joschua Knüppe
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Shenzhoupterus
/shen-JOH-ter-us/
Another Jiufotang pterosaur, Shenzhoupterus is named after an old word for China, "Shenzhou," meaning "divine land."
Pterosaur data
Mesozoic era · 252–66 Ma
Wingspan
About this pterosaur
The Jiufotang Formation is filled with pterosaurs, with chaoyangopterids being the commonest. Shenzhoupterus is another rather small creature with a wingspan of 1.4 meters. It was a terrestrial stalker with a varied diet, picking up small animals off the ground. It was, in this respect, markedly similar to most other chaoyangeopterids. Only one species, S. chaoyangensis is known. It had a crest extending from the back of its skull, which would have been covered with a keratinous surface in life.
Across the network
Credits
