Sinopterus
Sinopterus was a flying reptile with a big, toothless beak like a parrot. It lived in China during the Early Cretaceous, about 120 million years ago, and probably ate plants and seeds.13
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Fun facts
Sinopterus had a long, bony crest on top of its skull that pointed backward like a spike.1
Its beak had no teeth, similar to modern birds and some other pterosaurs.1
Scientists found tiny plant fossils (phytoliths) in the stomach of a Sinopterus, proving it ate plants.1
Sinopterus also swallowed small stones (gastroliths) to help grind up tough plant food in its gizzard.1
It was one of the first tapejarid pterosaurs found outside Brazil, showing these flying reptiles lived in many places.1
The largest Sinopterus had a wingspan of about 1.9 metres (6.2 feet) and weighed around 2.9 kilograms (6.3 pounds).1
Many scientists now think that only one species of Sinopterus is valid: Sinopterus dongi.2
Most asked questions about Sinopterus
?Was Sinopterus a dinosaur?
No, Sinopterus was a pterosaur, a flying reptile, not a dinosaur.1
?How big was Sinopterus?
The largest Sinopterus had a wingspan of about 1.9 metres and weighed around 2.9 kilograms. The type specimen had a skull 17 centimetres long.1
?What did Sinopterus eat?
Sinopterus was a herbivore. Scientists found plant fossils and gastroliths in its stomach, showing it ate seeds, grains, and other plants.1
?Did Sinopterus have teeth?
No, Sinopterus had a toothless, bird-like beak similar to a parrot.1
?When did Sinopterus live?
Sinopterus lived during the Early Cretaceous period, about 120 million years ago.1
?Why did Sinopterus have a crest?
The long bony crest on its skull may have been used for display, such as attracting mates or recognizing other members of its species. Scientists are not completely sure.1
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Myth buster
Myth: Some people think Sinopterus ate fish or insects like many other pterosaurs.
Truth: Stomach contents show Sinopterus was a plant-eater, with no fish bones or insect shells found.1
For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Sinopterus
- Named by
- Wang and Zhou 20023
- Group
- Flying reptiles
- Family / clade
- Tapejaridae3
- Classification
- Pterosauria > Pterodactyloidea3
- Age of the rocks
- 121 to 113 million years (Aptian)3
- Rock formations
- Jiufotang3
- Countries
- China3
- Fossil records
- 3 in the Paleobiology Database3
- Discovery
- Sinopterus was named in 2002 by Chinese paleontologists Wang Xiaolin and Zhou Zhonghe, based on a nearly complete skeleton found in Liaoning, China.13
- Still debated
- Scientists still debate how many different species of Sinopterus existed, because the crests and sizes vary a lot among fossils.2
Where the facts come from
- Sinopterus (en.wikipedia.org)
- PeerJ A taxonomic revision of the Sinopterus complex (Pterosauria, Tapejaridae) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, with the new genus Huaxiadraco (peerj.com)
- Sinopterus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
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