Germanodactylus cristatus B St 1892 IV 1 (Pterodactylus kochi Plieninger 1901, Germanodactylus cristatus Wiman 1925, No. 61 of Wellnhofer 1970) was originally considered a Pterodactylus. Here No. 61 was derived from a sister to JME Moe 12 and it phylogenetically preceded "Phobetor"(= Noripterus) in the Dsungaripteridae, Nemicolopterus in the Shenzhoupteridae and Sinopterus in the Tapejaridae. No. 61 was also a sister to PAL 3830.

Distinct from JME Moe 12, the skull of No. 61 was smaller overall and had an ossified rostral crest supporting a larger soft tissue crest, a cranial crest oriented posteriorly and posterior processes of the squamosal. The premaxilla extended along the entire dorsal margin, including the cranial crest. The vomers were visible in lateral view. The premaxillary teeth were vestigial.

The cervicals were longer. The caudals were more robust.

The humerus was more robust with a longer deltopectoral crest. The metacarpus was longer. Fingers I-III were larger.

The pedal digits were longer than the metatarsus. Pedal digit V was longer. Unguals II-IV decreased in size laterally.

Bennett (1996) reported that specimens of Pterodactylus were juvenile Germanodactylus. That hypothesis was rejected by all workers including Bennett himself.

Bennett (2006) reported on two tiny Solnhofen pterosaurs which he considered juveniles of Germanodactylus. Here these two tiny pterosaurs, No. 9 and No. 31 (from the Wellnhofer 1970 catalog), nest separately, as tiny adults closer to Scaphognathus. Bennett (2006) did not perform a cladistic analysis to support his assumptions based on size and rostrum length. Nor did Bennett (2006) understand that pterosaurs do not develop allometrically, like mammals, birds and crocs, but rather pterosaurs matured isometrically, as indicated by their embryos which are virtual copies of the adults without a reduced rostrum and large eyes. See Pterodaustro, the IVPP embryo and the JZMP embryo for evidence.

Size comparisons between germanodactylids are here. The family tree of the Ornithocephalia and Germanodactylia is here. The expanded family tree of the Pterosauria is here.