Fenghuangopterus is a basal pterosaur genus that inhabited northeastern China during the Middle Jurassic period. In terms of physical characteristics, Fenghuangopterus shared similarities with other scaphognathines, featuring a compact, blunt skull with a notable antorbital fenestra and teeth that were widely spaced and oriented vertically, distinguishing it from the horizontally-oriented teeth of other rhamphorhynchids. Similar to all known rhamphorhynchids, its tail possessed stiffening extensions formed by elongated vertebrae.

The primary distinctions between Fenghuangopterus and other scaphognathines are primarily its greater number of teeth, with eleven in the upper jaw, which extended further back in the jaw compared to its relatives. Additionally, Fenghuangopterus is notable for its existence during an earlier time period.

We have knowledge of Fenghuangopterus from a solitary, well-preserved specimen. This specimen includes a mostly intact skull with teeth, the neck, torso, and the base of the tail, both shoulders and wings, as well as the hips and both legs. The skull, although somewhat compressed, provides a view from the left side and reveals a significant portion of the palate and the interior side of the right mandible. The entire length of the specimen was slightly less than 8 cm (a little over 3 inches) and displayed a roughly triangular profile. The remainder of the skeleton is well-preserved and articulated, with minor sections missing, such as the tips of both wings and the mid to end sections of the tail. The body, extending from the snout to the hips, measured around 30 cm (12 inches) in length, while the total wingspan reached approximately 95 cm (3 feet).