Pterodactylus fossil map
Where fossils of Pterodactylus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 145 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 145 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Pterosaurs |
|---|---|
| Lived | 201.4–132.6 million years ago (Hettangian to Valanginian) |
| Periods | Jurassic, Cretaceous |
| Named by | Cuvier 1809 |
| Fossil records | 15 occurrences at 9 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Germany, Tanzania, France, Portugal, UK |
| Rock formations | Solnhofener Plattenkalk, Solnhofen, Tendaguru, txn:NF, Alcobaça, Wadhurst Clay |
About Pterodactylus
Pterodactylus (from Ancient Greek: πτεροδάκτυλος, romanized: pterodáktylos 'winged finger') is a genus of extinct pterosaurs. It is thought to contain only a single species, Pterodactylus antiquus, which was the first pterosaur to be named and identified as a flying reptile and one of the first prehistoric reptiles ever to be discovered.
Fossil remains of Pterodactylus have primarily been found in the Solnhofen limestone of Bavaria, Germany, which dates from the Late Jurassic period (Tithonian stage), about 150.8 to 148.5 million years ago. More fragmentary remains of Pterodactylus have tentatively been identified from elsewhere in Europe and in Africa.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Pterodactylus (revision 1379030025), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q309490.
