J118 - Top Rare Ornithocheirid Pterosaur Claw - Lower Cretaceous Elrhaz Fm

Ornithocheirus simus, is only known from fragmentary jaw tips. It bore a distinctive convex "keeled" crest on its snout similar to its relatives. Ornithocheirus had relatively narrow jaw tips compared to the related Coloborhynchus and Tropeognathus, which had prominently-expanded rosettes of teeth, as well as a more developed "keeled" crest compared to Ornithocheirus. Another feature that made Ornithocheirus unique and unlike its relatives, was that its teeth of were mostly vertical, rather than set at an outward-pointing angle.

It was believed in the past that Ornithocheirus was one of the largest pterosaurs to have existed, with a wingspan possibly measuring 40 feet (12.2 m) wide.

Diagnostic characteristics of pterosaur claws:

-Symmetrical vein grooves

-The bottom of the digit claw is flat.

-The bend at the end of the tip is a specific trait of Pterosaur claws: The tip shows a thin flange or ridge of bone on the very tip on the ventral edge. It could be considered an adaptation for the best grip when perching on steep surfaces. That flange aids in hooking on cliffs.

Observations about this specimen: 

Not restored or glued. Just the tip is missing. Unsual top rare specimen. We assign this claw to the family Ornithocheiridae, since a precise taxonomic classification is very difficult to arrive at with only one claw. However, it must belong to a pterosaur of this family, which has been described from the Early Cretaceous of Niger.