RARE Rhamphorhynchus Pterosaur Limb Bone Fossil Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay UK Specimen Genuine Pterosaur Fossil Wiltshire UK with COA

Description

Rare Jurassic Rhamphorhynchus Pterosaur Limb Bone Fossil – Kimmeridge Clay Formation, Wiltshire, UK

Offered here is a rare and highly collectible fossil limb bone attributed to the iconic pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus sp., recovered from the famous Kimmeridge Clay Formation of Dryleaze Farm Quarry, Wiltshire, England. This specimen represents an exceptional opportunity to own a genuine piece of Jurassic flying reptile history from one of the United Kingdom’s most significant marine fossil deposits.

This fossil is a 100% authentic specimen and comes complete with a fully hand-signed Premium Certificate of Authenticity, confirming its provenance and geological origin. The photograph shown in the listing displays the exact fossil you will receive, making it a carefully selected collector’s piece.

Full dimensions of the specimen can be seen in the listing photographs.

About Rhamphorhynchus – A Jurassic Flying Reptile

Rhamphorhynchus is one of the best-known members of the early pterosaur group known as the Rhamphorhynchidae, belonging to the order Pterosauria. These remarkable flying reptiles lived during the Late Jurassic Period, approximately 157–152 million years ago, during the Kimmeridgian stage.

Unlike later pterosaurs such as Pteranodon, Rhamphorhynchus possessed a distinctive long stiffened tail ending in a diamond-shaped vane, which likely acted as a stabilising rudder during flight. Its elongated jaws were lined with sharp forward-pointing teeth, perfectly adapted for catching fish and small marine animals.

Key characteristics of Rhamphorhynchus include:

• Long narrow wings supported by an extended fourth finger

• Slender hollow bones adapted for lightweight flight

• A long tail with a stabilising vane

• Needle-like teeth suited for grasping slippery prey

• Excellent gliding and soaring ability over coastal waters

The presence of limb elements such as this specimen provides valuable insight into the skeletal structure that allowed these animals to achieve powered flight more than 150 million years ago.

Geological Context – Kimmeridge Clay Formation

This specimen originates from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation, one of the most important Upper Jurassic marine sedimentary deposits in Europe. The formation is widely exposed along the south coast of England and inland quarry sites such as Dryleaze Farm Quarry in Wiltshire.

The sediments were deposited in a warm, shallow epicontinental sea that covered much of southern Britain during the Late Jurassic. These fine-grained organic-rich clays accumulated in relatively low-energy marine environments, allowing delicate fossils—including reptiles, fish, ammonites, and marine invertebrates—to be preserved with remarkable detail.

The Kimmeridge Clay is especially famous for yielding fossils of:

• Marine reptiles including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs

• Pterosaurs such as Rhamphorhynchus

• Ammonites and belemnites

• Fish and crustaceans

• Marine reptiles and occasional terrestrial remains washed into the basin

Organic-rich sediments in this formation also contributed to the development of some of the North Sea’s major petroleum source rocks, highlighting its global geological importance.

Preservation and Fossil Significance

Pterosaur fossils are exceptionally rare, particularly isolated limb bones preserved within marine clay deposits. The delicate nature of pterosaur skeletons—characterised by extremely thin, hollow bones—means that only a small fraction survive the fossilisation process.

Specimens from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation are therefore highly sought after by collectors and researchers alike. Limb elements such as this example offer important insight into:

• Wing mechanics and flight adaptation

• Skeletal structure of early pterosaurs

• Jurassic coastal ecosystems

Each authentic pterosaur fossil represents a tangible connection to the age of flying reptiles, when these animals dominated the skies long before the appearance of modern birds.

Authenticity and Collector Information

• Genuine fossil specimen – not a cast or replica

• Species: Rhamphorhynchus sp.

• Geological Formation: Kimmeridge Clay Formation

• Age: Upper Jurassic, Kimmeridgian Stage (~157–152 million years old)

• Locality: Dryleaze Farm Quarry, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

• Includes hand-signed Premium Certificate of Authenticity

• The exact specimen shown in the photographs is the one you will receive

This rare fossil represents an outstanding addition to any pterosaur, Jurassic fossil, or vertebrate palaeontology collection, and serves as a remarkable display piece from one of Britain’s most famous fossil-bearing formations.