Alternative combinations: Ornithocephalus giganteus, Ornithocheirus giganteus
Full reference: J. S. Bowerbank. 1846. On a new species of pterodactyl found in the Upper Chalk of Kent (P. giganteus). Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London 2:7-8
Belongs to Pterodactylus according to K. A. v. Zittel 1890
See also Bowerbank 1846, Charig 1967, Rodrigues and Kellner 2013, Unwin 2001 and Unwin 2003
Sister taxa: Pterodactylus antiquus, Pterodactylus arningi, Pterodactylus brancai, Pterodactylus cirinensis, Pterodactylus dubius, Pterodactylus kochi, Pterodactylus lavateri, Pterodactylus longirostris, Pterodactylus maximus, Pterodactylus medius, Pterodactylus micronyx, Pterodactylus propinquus, Pterodactylus secundarius, Pterodactylus spectabilis, Pterodactylus umbrosus
Type specimen: BMNH 39412 (lectotype), a partial skeleton (Anterior portions of the rostrum and mandible, incomplete scapulocoracoid, proximal ends of the humerus and ulna, and a partial wing phalanx). Its type locality is Culand Pits, Burham, which is in a Cenomanian/Turonian basinal (carbonate) chalk/marl in the United Kingdom.
Ecology: volant piscivore
Distribution: there are no occurrences of Pterodactylus giganteus in the database
Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.
Click image to enlarge. Click to access iDigBio record.