Spathagnathus
| Spathagnathus | |
|---|---|
| Holotype rostrum under normal (A) and UV (B) light | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Family: | †Ctenochasmatidae |
| Subfamily: | †Gnathosaurinae |
| Genus: | †Spathagnathus Fernandes et al., 2025 |
| Type species | |
| †Spathagnathus roeperi Fernandes et al., 2025
| |
Spathagnathus (meaning "spatula jaw") is a genus of ctenochasmatid pterosaur from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone of Germany. The type and only species is Spathagnathus roeperi, known from a single jawbone. It is the oldest known member of Gnathosaurinae, and the second pterosaur from the Solnhofen's Brunn quarry after the rhamphorhynchid Bellubrunnus. The unique dental anatomy of the taxon is thought to indicate a diet of tough, hard-shelled prey items.