Anurognathidae

Anurognathidae is an extinct family of small pterosaurs with short tails, broad skulls, and large mouths. Its members lived from the Jurassic into the Early Cretaceous.

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Pterosaur: A flying reptile of the extinct group Pterosauria, which lived during the Mesozoic Era. Anurognathids are a family within this broader group of flying reptiles.
Anurognathus: A small Jurassic pterosaur from Germany, known for a short tail and broad, tooth-bearing skull. This well-known genus gives the family its name.
Insectivore: An animal whose diet consists mainly of insects. The large mouths and teeth of some anurognathids suit insect-focused feeding.
Rhamphorhynchidae: An extinct family of long-tailed pterosaurs that lived mainly during the Jurassic Period. Their long tails contrast with the short tails characteristic of anurognathids.
Pterosauria: The extinct reptile clade comprising pterosaurs, the first vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight. Its evolutionary relationships provide the larger classification surrounding Anurognathidae.
Batrachognathus: A Late Jurassic anurognathid pterosaur known from fossils found in Kazakhstan. Its remains extend the family's known fossil record beyond Europe.
Powered flight: Flight produced by an animal's own muscular effort rather than passive gliding alone. Anurognathids were flying pterosaurs, though their precise flight performance remains uncertain.
Pterodactyloidea: A major pterosaur clade that includes many forms with relatively elongated necks and reduced tails. Pterodactyloids provide a contrast in body proportions and evolutionary placement.
Pterosaur tail: The tail structure of a pterosaur, which varied in length and form across different lineages. Short tails distinguish anurognathids from many other pterosaurs.
Jeholopterus: An Early Cretaceous anurognathid pterosaur from China, preserved with impressions of soft tissues. Exceptional preservation provides evidence about anurognathid body covering.