Radiodactylus

Radiodactylus is known only from a single nearly complete left humerus (upper arm bone). The bone was found during construction of an emergency spillway at a nuclear power plant.1

Its name means 'radio finger' because it was discovered at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant. The 'dactyl' part is a common ending for pterosaur names, referring to their long wing fingers.1

Radiodactylus was a close relative of the giant azhdarchid pterosaurs, but it lived much earlier and was smaller than them.1

The species name langstoni honors Dr. Wann Langston Jr., who is called 'the father of Texas pterosaurology' for his work on pterosaurs from Texas.1

Scientists originally thought Radiodactylus was an azhdarchid pterosaur, but later studies showed it was a more primitive member of that group, called a non-azhdarchid azhdarchoid.1