Jurassic
Dimorphodon
Dimorphodon macronyx
The catalogue presents Dimorphodon as a carnivore member of Dimorphodontidae that lived during the Jurassic, between 195 Ma. Its estimated range is 1.4 m in length and 2 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Dorset, England. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Dimorphodon, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Owen (1859).
The PBDB places it in Dimorphodontidae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Dimorphodontidae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Dimorphodontidae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Hettangian to the Pliensbachian.
The PBDB catalogues 2 occurrences, with material from the Blue Lias Formation (1). Provenance: United Kingdom.
The catalogue records the holotype as NHMUK PV R 1034 and the type locality as “Dorset, England”.
- NHMUK PV R 1034
- Dorset, England
The catalogue's reference measurements are 1.4 m in length and 2 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 1.4 m
- 2 kg
The record gathers 16 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 1.4 m
- Weight
- 2 kg
- Period
- Jurassic
- Time range
- 195 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1828
- Described by
- William Buckland
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Pterosauria
- Family
- Dimorphodontidae
- Genus
- Dimorphodon
- Species
- D. macronyx
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- NHMUK PV R 1034
- Type locality
- Dorset, England