RHAMPHORHYNCHUS DINOSAUR SAFARI

Recommended for ages 3+

Rhamphorhynchus 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.

Rhamphorhynchus was a fairly large pterosaur. It had a very long snout full of long sharp teeth that were probably used to catch fish. Unlike some pterosaurs, Rhamphorhynchus did not have a bony crest on its skull. It had a very long tail stiffened by ligaments. The end of the tail had a diamond-shaped vane that helped the animal steer as it flew through the air, a bit like a rudder. Although large adults had a wingspan of nearly six feet, hatchlings with wingspans of as little as one foot have also been found.

• Model is 7 inches long with an 8-inch wingspan.
• The top of the body and wings are bright reddish-brown outlined in dark gray, and the underside is light gray, reminiscent of some modern birds.
• Like all Safari Ltd.® products, this model has been individually hand-painted; features quality construction from safe, non-toxic, phthalate-free and lead-free materials; and includes an educational hang tag in 5 languages.
• Admire it on a shelf, use it in the classroom, or simply enjoy playing with it.
• The Rhamphorhynchus is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection.