For understanding an extinct species what could be better than a complete specimen? Well some soft-tissue (skin, muscles, organs etc) would be fantastic. Some indications of stomach contents that can provide direct evidence for diet and whilst we are making a wish list, why not throw in some poo for additional evidence? Well a newly described specimen of the Early Jurassic pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus has all of these!
Despite being known for nearly two centuries, new specimens of the derived non-pterodactyloid pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus continue to be discovered and reveal new information about their anatomy and palaeobiology. Here we describe a specimen held in the collections of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Alberta, Canada that shows both preservation and impressions of soft tissues, and also preserves material interpreted as stomach contents of vertebrate remains and, uniquely, a putative coprolite. The specimen also preserves additional evidence for fibers in the uropatagium.
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