Richard Hanna |
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Pterodactylus antiquus |
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| Discover the secrets of fossils with Richard Hanna, artist and hobbyist paleontologist. |
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| To ask Richard a question about fossils or dinos, click on the mailbox. |
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| The Fascinating world of Fossils |
| Pterodactylus (means flight-finger in latin) was the first short-tailed pterosaur discovered. Pterodactylus Antiquus was about the size of a crow (19inches.) Instead of a beak, their mouth was filled with many small sharp teeth! Pterodactylus lived in what is now Germany in the late Jurrasic period about 150 million years ago. This sculpture is based on the splendid artwork by Georges Cuvier (possibly the father of vertibrate paleontolgy) and on published photographs of the Solnhofen fossil. |
| Pterodactylus Kochi |
| Pterodactylus kochi is the most common species of pterodactyl found. It was a short tailed pterodactyloid best known from the prolific "lithographic" limestones of Solnhofen. My sculpture is based on photos of an adult fossil, with a wing span (extended)of about 18". The piece stands 8.5" high 8" wide and about 2" thick. As with most of my sculptures it is made of ceramic back filled with plaster for rock like finish and durability. |
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| Where did the dinosaurs go? The most common opinion is that they are still among us--in the form of birds. Some of the ancestors of the flying dinosaurs evolved into creatures like archaeopteryx (a flying dino with feathers, teeth and a beak!) and these evolved into birds. Birdwatchers know that all species of birds like to squabble and the dinos probably did too. |
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| Graphics by Kerrybear |
| Artwork, writing & Photos by Richard Hanna |