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Prehistoric Life

How wide was Dimorphodon macronyx?

An adult Dimorphodon macronyx had a wingspan of about 1.45 m (4 ft 9 in).

What is measured: Adult pterosaur, wingspan

Dimorphodon macronyx (1.45 m) drawn to scale beside a bowling pin (38.1 cm) and an adult person (1.7 m)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: Bowling pin (38.1 cm), Dimorphodon macronyx (1.45 m) and Adult person (1.7 m).

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How big is that, really?

  • About 85% of the height of an adult person
  • About 73% of the height of a doorway
  • About 3.8× the height of a bowling pin
  • About 4 would fit end to end along a 20-foot shipping container
  • About 8 would fit end to end along a city bus

Learn

Facts about Dimorphodon macronyx

Dimorphodon had a short, deep skull and unusually large front teeth compared with many other early pterosaurs.

Source: Natural History Museum, London — Dimorphodon; Encyclopaedia Britannica — Dimorphodon

Prehistoric Life

NameSizeCompared with Dimorphodon macronyx
Compsognathus longipes1.25 m (4 ft 1 in)0.86×
Cave bear1.3 m (4 ft 3 in)0.9×
Paranthropus boisei1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)0.97×
Dimorphodon macronyx1.45 m (4 ft 9 in)this page
Pterodactylus antiquus1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1×
Thylacoleo carnifex1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1×
Ichthyostega stensioei1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1×
Titanis walleri1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1×
Icadyptes salasi1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)1×
Neanderthal1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)1.1×

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