Jeholopterus

Found in northeastern China, Jeholopterus is a tiny pterosaur that has been found preserved with hair and skin intact. It has a broad, short skull and small, peg-like teeth. Evidence suggests that the wing membrane attached to the ankle. The claws of the hand are especially curved, and the wing bones are very robust in relation to the size of the animal suggesting that Jeholopterus could have been a powerful climber and acrobatic flier.

Due to their fragile skull and small size, all anurognathids are considered insectivores. Some anurognathids, like modern tick birds and vampire bats, would have been attracted to insects that were attracted to bloody and festering wounds on dinosaur hide. Some of these evidently became attracted to the wounds themselves, lapping up the blood. Jeholopterus appears able to take it one step further by making its own wounds on fresh dinosaur hide.

In that hypothesis, Jeholopterus stabbed dinosaurs with its fangs, then drank their blood by squeezing the wound with its plier-like jaws while hanging on with its robust limbs and surgically sharp, curved and elongated claws. Dinosaurs probably did not like being stabbed and bitten by Jeholopterus, and liked it even less when flocks of Jeholopterus landed on them.

LOCALITY: Xingjiang Province, China

FORMATION: Tiaojishan

WINGSPAN: 74 cm (2 feet 5 inches)

Specimen can be custom mounted for customer. Allow approximately 6 weeks for custom mount.