Template:DinoseriesTemplate:Infobox Creature
Anurognathus is a genus of rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur which lived during the late Jurassic period in what is now Germany.
Facts
Anurognathus is a genus of small pterosaur that lived during the Tithonian stage of the late Jurassic period. Anurognathus was first named and described by Ludwig Döderlein in 1923.
The type species is Anurognathus ammoni. The genus name Anurognathus is derived from the Greek αν/an- ("without"), оυρα/oura ("tail"), and γναθος/gnathos ("jaw") in reference to its unusually small tail relative to other "rhamphorhynchoid" (i.e. basal) pterosaurs. The specific name ammoni honours the Bavarian geologist Ludwig von Ammon, from whose collection Döderlein had acquired the fossil in 1922.
An Anurognathus resting on a plant. (Time of the Titans)
Anurognathus was one of the smallest pterosaurs, having a wingspan of about 50 centimetres. Because of that, Anurognathus was near the bottom of the food chain. However, Anurognathus would usually be safe from predators as it was a nocturnal, somewhat bat-like insectivore.
Portrayal in the series
In the series it was innaccurately depicted as a creature that lived their entire lives on the backs of sauropods.
They got their food source from various Parasites that would prey on their homes, unlike their depiction in The Ballad of Big Al, where they were shown to live without any symbionts and hunt for their food (while also being prey for such predators as Al).
Appearances in the programmes
Walking With Dinosaurs
Time of the Titans
An Anurognathus feeding on the parasites on a Diplodocus' body. (Time of the Titans)
An Anurognathus was first seen clinging to a plant before flying onto the side of an adult Diplodocus. The Anurognathus was then joined by other members of his genus in consuming on the insects living on the sauropods. Whilst the large Diplodocus herd continued feeding and defecating, the Anurognathus fought, fed and bred on the lumbering leviathans.
Years later, when the episode's lead, an adolescent female Diplodocus, grew up, an Anurognathus was seen flying onto her to feed.
The Ballad of Big Al
Anurognathus was constantly seen as a background creature in the special. A notable appearance was where one was seen feeding on the decaying and dried-up corpse of a Dryosaurus. But, then, suddenly, Big Al swiftly snatched the Anurognathus and devoured it.
Walking With Monsters
Clash of Titans
Anurognathus was seen at the end of the episode in the Jurassic landscape. The scene shown in the episode was stock footage from Time of the Titans.
Errors
- The Anurognathus shown in the series is seen living in North America. Fossils of Anurognathus have only been uncovered in Germany.
- The overall anatomy of the animal is very inaccurate, with a bizarrely long neck, a much bigger snout than the live creature's (it's name means "frog mouth for a reason...), no fur/pycnofibrils and a wrong wing membrane folding.
Trivia
- Anurognathus also appeared in the related show Primeval in Episode 1.5 and Episode 5.5. The Anurognathus in Primeval however, were inaccurately depicted as ferocious, flesh-eating monsters.
- Anurognathus was shown living on Diplodocus in Time of the Titans. In The Ballad of Big Al, the Anurognathus was seen living solitarily, away from any sauropod.
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