Anhanguera blittersdorffi
Information
The long jaws of this flying reptile are studded with thin pointed teeth, a typical adaptation for eating fish seen in the modern Gharial crocodiles. The inner ear of Anhanguera shows that it habitually held its head tilted downwards, and had an exceptional sense of balance, ideal for complex aerial manoeuvres.
The reconstruction is of the Crato Formation, from north-eastern Brazil, showing a shallow freshwater lake, with a margin of lush vegetation. This supported an abundance of insects, small reptiles, dinosaurs, pterosaurs and amphibians. The Crato Formation rocks are famous for their exquisitely preserved fossils, a result of delayed decay in the stagnant, low-oxygen conditions of its lakes.
Location: Crato Formation, north-eastern Brazil
Age: Early Cretaceous (112 million years ago)