Pterosaurs: 8 Characteristics & 8 Profiles (+ Pictures)

constantly updated Christina Smith (Senior Editor)

Various pterosaurs lived on our planet many millions of years ago. We’ve put together some cool facts, their most important features, profiles for eight species, and plenty of pictures for you.

Pterosaurs existed as early as 228 million years ago. They lived alongside the dinosaurs on our Earth for a very long time. They came in all sorts of shapes and species, each with its own fascinating characteristics.

Cool Facts About Pterosaurs

Cool Facts About Pterosaurs

Coming up, we’ll tell you what pterosaurs are and how they’re different from dinosaurs. We’ll also fill you in on their lower classifications, including how pterosaurs are divided into groups and families. After that, you’ll find out who the biggest pterosaur of all time was.

What Pterosaurs Are

Pterosaurs are flying reptiles that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Their scientific name is "Pterosauria." They had membranous wings that acted like airfoils, making them the first vertebrates to conquer the skies.

The pterosaurs included various families, genera, and species, all of which went extinct 66 million years ago along with the dinosaurs. Well-known genera include Pteranodon and Pterodactylus.

Difference Between Pterosaurs and Dinosaurs

Pterosaurs versus Dinosaurs

Like dinosaurs, crocodiles, and birds, pterosaurs descended from the so-called "archosaurs" (Latin: "Archosauria"). This makes them a sister group to the dinosaurs, but they don’t belong to the same group.

"Saur" means "lizard." The term "dinosaur" translates to "terrible lizard." This name refers to the land vertebrates of the prehistoric era, like Ankylosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Pterosaurs, on the other hand, are "flying lizards" or "winged lizards," characterized by their flight membranes and a specific body structure. So, terms like "flying dinosaur" or "pterodactyl" (when used for all of them) aren’t technically correct, even though everyone knows what you mean.

Lower Classifications

The long-tailed pterosaur Dimorphodon

The lower classification shows which genera and families are hidden behind the "pterosaur" group. They were long divided into long-tailed pterosaurs (Rhamphorhynchoidea) and short-tailed pterosaurs (Pterodactyloidea).

The former have a longer tail and short metacarpal bones and went extinct in the Late Jurassic. The latter had a very short tail, longer metacarpal bones, and only appeared in the mid-Jurassic. They survived until the end of the Cretaceous.

Over time, however, it became clear that the short-tailed pterosaurs (abbreviated as "ST" from now on) descended from their long-tailed relatives ("LT"). Therefore, they are now considered a subgroup with their own families:

• Pterosaurs:
  Dimorphodontidae (LT), Anurognathidae (LT), Campylognathoidida (LT), Rhamphorhynchidae (LT), Pterodactyloidea (ST)
• Pterodactyloidea (ST):
  Ctenochasmatoidea, Ornithocheiroidea, Dsungaripteroidea, Azhdarchoidea

Different genera and species belong to each of these groups and families. Pterodactylus, for example, belongs to the Ctenochasmatoidea, and Pteranodon to the Ornithocheiroidea.

Biggest Pterosaur of All Time

For a long time, the Quetzalcoatlus northropi was considered the world’s largest pterosaur. It had a wingspan of 11 to 13 meters and weighed between 100 and 200 kilograms.

It now has competition from a more recent find of a pterosaur in 2009 in Transylvania (Romania), tentatively named "Dracula." It has a wingspan of at least 12 meters and is estimated to weigh 500 kilograms.

Its size is comparable to that of a giraffe. Researchers are even divided on whether this giant could fly at all due to its high body weight.

8 Features of Pterosaurs

In the next sections, you’ll find all the important features of pterosaurs. This includes their habitat and lifestyle, as well as their physical characteristics and flying abilities. We’ll also tell you roughly how old they got and why they went extinct.

When Pterosaurs Lived

Rhamphorhynchus already lived during the Triassic

The flying lizards lived at roughly the same time as the dinosaurs, from 235 to 66 million years ago. The oldest pterosaur fossils found so far are 228 million years old.

During the Triassic period, most pterosaurs still had long tails and teeth. In the Jurassic, some changes occurred in the animals' evolution. They populated the entire world, and the long-tailed pterosaurs slowly disappeared starting from the middle of this period.

More and more new genera with shorter tails and teeth emerged, reaching great species diversity by the end of the Jurassic.

Finally, in the Cretaceous period, the largest pterosaurs we know today evolved. At the same time, the largest dinosaur species also emerged. Some pterosaur species by this time no longer had teeth.

Habitats of Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs existed all over the world. Examples include Europe, Brazil, Morocco, America, and Tanzania. They mostly lived in coastal regions or on island landscapes.

However, it’s not ruled out that they might have lived in forests, deserts, and mountain areas. Since the conditions for preserving bones were poor and the bones themselves were very thin, some species may have been lost from these areas.

Lifestyle and Diet

Presumably, all pterosaurs were predators and carnivores. The older species of long-tailed pterosaurs probably ate invertebrates like worms and insects. Later, their diet expanded to include fish and smaller vertebrates like lizards or frogs.

Some species, like Pterodactylus, continued to stick with invertebrates. There was even a genus called Pterodaustro that used its long, sharp teeth as a filter for seawater to scoop up plankton.

Pterosaurs laid eggs. Their offspring were likely able to fly and were independent shortly after hatching. You often see depictions of the animals in colonies or groups.

This assumption is based on a find in Chile where many fossils of young pterosaurs were discovered. However, this find doesn’t show whether the animals only gathered to lay eggs or if they truly lived together.

Flying Abilities

Flying abilities of Pterosaurs

Researchers believe that especially smaller species were very good at flying independently and dynamically. Larger and heavier species probably used soaring or gliding flight and depended on favorable wind conditions.

This way, however, they could cover long distances. It’s also assumed that most species could take off from both land and water on their own.

Physical Features and Posture

Pterosaurs had large flight membranes that served as wings for gliding and active flight. They were stretched between their arms and legs. Their bones were very lightly built, as they could fly better with less weight.

Because flying requires a lot of energy, it’s thought that the saurians were partially hairy to better retain heat. Some finds with hair imprints support this. However, researchers' opinions sometimes differ regarding the extent of their hairiness. It’s also assumed that the animals were warm-blooded.

Many species had so-called head crests. They were probably used for communication. They could have conveyed warnings and played a role in courtship and mate selection.

Pterosaurs also had a very good sense of balance, which is related to a specific structure of the inner ear. They needed to maintain balance to move three-dimensionally in space.

As for the animals' posture, there are differing views. However, most researchers today assume that pterosaurs used their arms as supports and moved on four limbs like modern bats. Their pelvic structure also supports this.

Weight, Size, and Speed

Weight, Size, and Speed

When it comes to weight, pterosaurs varied greatly. One of the smallest was Nemicolopterus crypticus. It had a wingspan of only 25 centimeters, weighed just 20 grams, and was about the size of a sparrow.

The largest specimens are Quetzalcoatlus, Hatzegopteryx, and a new discovery called 'Dracula'. They had a wingspan of up to 13 meters, could be 9 meters long, and weighed up to 200 kilograms.

Between these two extremes, there are many species that reached average sizes. The maximum speed was likely around 60 kilometers per hour. This estimate is roughly the speed of a flying fox.

Life Expectancy

The life expectancy of pterosaurs varied. Smaller specimens certainly died earlier than larger ones. However, since predatory dinosaurs like the T-Rex could live for a maximum of 30 years, it can be assumed they didn’t necessarily live longer.

Long-necked sauropods like Brachiosaurus, on the other hand, are estimated to have had a life expectancy of 50 to 120 years.

Extinction of the Pterosaurs

Extinction of the Pterosaurs

The pterosaurs went extinct just as they were reaching their greatest species diversity. The reason was the mass extinction 66 million years ago, which also wiped out the dinosaurs and 20 percent of all animal families.

This event was likely caused by a 14-kilometer-wide meteorite hitting the Earth, a drop in sea levels, and many volcanic eruptions. This great extinction is just one of many in Earth’s history.

Profiles of 8 Pterosaur Species

In total, there are over 100 species of pterosaurs. In this chapter, you’ll find profiles of eight different ones. We’ve listed the genus, known species, and important data like habitat, time period, and size for each.

Among them are large species like Quetzalcoatlus, medium-sized ones like Pteranodon, and smaller ones like Pterodactylus.

For some of these saurians, there aren’t many fossil finds yet. Therefore, it’s sometimes not possible to definitively determine all physical characteristics like length and weight. In each profile, you’ll get as much information as is possible based on current knowledge.

Pteranodon

Pteranodon

The pterosaur Pteranodon ("toothless wing") is a very large pterosaur from the short-tailed pterosaur family (Pterodactyloidea). Three species of this genus are known: Pteranodon sternbergi, Pteranodon longiceps, and Pteranodon ingens.

They lived during the Cretaceous period, and there are already over 1,000 fossil finds from Kansas, Alabama, Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota. Pteranodon lived there near a shallow sea where the climate was warm, and it fed on fish.

A distinguishing feature of this pterosaur is that its beak was slightly curved upwards. Also, like modern birds, it had no teeth. Its eyes were very small and located on the sides and quite high up on its skull.

Another important feature is its cranial crest, which could take on different shapes. In some specimens, it was long and pointed towards the back, while in others, it was broader.

• Genus: Pteranodon
• Known Species: P. sternbergi, P. longiceps, P. ingens
• Period: Late Cretaceous (86 to 72 million years ago)
• Habitat: North America
• Length: 3 meters
• Wingspan: 7–9 meters
• Weight: About 20 kilograms
• Speed: 47 km/h

Pterodactylus

A group of Pterodactylus

The saurian Pterodactylus ("wing finger") is a close relative of Pteranodon. However, it lived earlier, during the Jurassic period. It was also significantly smaller and had no bony crest on its head.

Another difference is that Pterodactylus still had teeth. They were located on the front half of the jaw. Its fossilized bones have been found in England, other parts of Europe, and East Africa (Tanzania).

Over time, the finds of this small pterosaur were assigned to various species. However, today only Pterodactylus antiquus is recognized. This saurian is now one of the most well-known and is often used as a representative of all pterosaurs.

• Genus: Pterodactylus
• Known Species: P. antiquus
• Period: Late Jurassic (152.1 million years ago)
• Habitat: Europe (England), Africa (Tanzania)
• Length: about 50–75 centimeters
• Wingspan: 50–104 centimeters
• Weight: about 2 kilograms
• Speed: 18 km/h

Quetzalcoatlus

Quetzalcoatlus

The pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus is one of the largest in the world. It lived in the Cretaceous period and was named after the Mesoamerican wind deity "Quetzalcoatl." This deity was known to the Aztecs and Maya and translates roughly to "feathered serpent."

The pterosaur was first found on the border with Mexico in Texas’s Big Bend National Park in North America in 1975. More finds have been made in Central America. During the Cretaceous, a tropical climate prevailed there, and Quetzalcoatlus lived along seashores, coasts, lagoons, and floodplains.

To this day, paleontologists are not sure whether the pterosaur moved on two legs (bipedal) or four legs (quadrupedal). It probably launched its flights on its own power but covered longer distances by gliding.

Quetzalcoatlus had a long neck and a long, thin beak. It might have used it to catch fish like a heron or consumed carrion or smaller prey like a marabou stork. The only known species so far is Quetzalcoatlus northropi. It is likely one of the fastest pterosaur species.

• Genus: Quetzalcoatlus
• Known Species: Q. northropi
• Period: Late Cretaceous (72–66 million years ago)
• Habitat: North America, Central America
• Length: about 6–9 meters
• Wingspan: 11–13 meters
• Weight: 100–200 kilograms
• Speed: 57 km/h

Hatzegopteryx

Quetzalcoatlus (left) vs. Hatzegopteryx (right)

The Hatzegopteryx is one of the largest pterosaurs. It belongs to the short-tailed pterosaurs (Pterodactyloidea) and lived during the Cretaceous period. So far, only one species has been described: Hatzegopteryx thambema.

Hatzegopteryx was named after its discovery location, "Hațeg," in the Romanian region of Transylvania. The ancient Greek "pteryx," found in its name, means "wing." The species name "thambema" means "the terror" in ancient Greek.

In an upright position, Hatzegopteryx was probably as tall as a giraffe. Its skull, at three meters long, is the largest skull of any land vertebrate in the world. Like almost all pterosaurs, it had a light bone structure and weighed relatively little for its size.

Its habitat consisted of a prehistoric island landscape with several islands where it could hunt and devour prey up to the size of a pony.

• Genus: Hatzegopteryx
• Known Species: H. thambema
• Period: Late Cretaceous (72–66 million years ago)
• Habitat: Romania (Europe)
• Height: 5–6 meters
• Wingspan: up to 12 meters
• Skull Length: 3 meters
• Weight: 100–200 kilograms

Thalassodromeus

Thalassodromeus

Only one species of Thalassodromeus ("sea runner") is known so far: Thalassodromeus sethi. The species name "sethi" refers to the Egyptian god of the sea, "Seth." The species was first described in 2002.

This pterosaur lived in Brazil during the Cretaceous period for almost 20 million years. Its fossils were found in the Santana Formation. It is a short-tailed pterosaur and has a striking bony crest.

It probably didn’t feed on fish and other sea creatures as previously thought. Researchers found that its curved beak was better suited for feats of strength and resistance, suggesting it fed on smaller land animals.

• Genus: Thalassodromeus
• Known Species: T. sethi
• Period: Early to Late Cretaceous (112–93.5 million years ago)
• Habitat: Brazil
• Wingspan: 5.30 meters
• Length: about 1.80 meters
• Skull Length: 1.42 meters (incl. bony crest)
• Weight: 10 kilograms

Dimorphodon

Dimorphodon

This pterosaur genus dates back to the early Jurassic. It lived on our Earth for 24 million years. It is assigned to the long-tailed pterosaurs and its family is the Dimorphodontidae. To date, two species are known: Dimorphodon macronyx and Dimorphodon weintraubi.

"Dimorphodon" translates from Greek to "two forms of teeth." It was chosen because the saurian’s teeth at the front of its beak were larger and longer than the teeth at the back. Such an arrangement is rare in reptiles.

They are its strongest identifying feature, along with a long, thin tail and a skull comparable to that of a puffin. Dimorphodon was likely a carnivore, feeding on small lizards, insects, worms, and other small creatures.

• Genus: Dimorphodon
• Known Species: D. macronyx, D. weintraubi
• Period: Early Jurassic (199.6–175.6 million years ago)
• Habitat: England (Europe)
• Length: 1 meter
• Wingspan: 1.2 meters
• Head Length: 20 centimeters
• Weight: 2 kilograms

Anhanguera

Anhanguera

The pterosaur Anhanguera lived during the Cretaceous period in Brazil, Australia, Russia, England, and Morocco. It was named in the Tupi language, an indigenous Brazilian language. Its name translates to "old devil." Four species of it have been discovered so far.

Its most striking feature is its slender skull and narrow beak, from which sharp teeth protrude. The front part of the upper jaw has a hump formed by a bony crest. Additionally, it moved on four legs.

• Genus: Anhanguera
• Known Species: Anhanguera blittersdorffi, A. ligabuei, A. piscator, A. santanae (Synonym: Araripesaurus santanae)
• Period: Early to Late Cretaceous (112.9–93.9 million years ago)
• Habitat: Brazil, Australia, Russia, Kent (England), Erfoud (Morocco)
• Length: 1.2 meters
• Wingspan: 4–5 meters
• Head Length: 50 centimeters
• Weight: 5–8 kilograms
• Speed: 42 km/h

Tapejara

Tapejara

The genus Tapejara lived in Brazil during the Cretaceous period. Its name means "the old being" in the Tupi language. This language was spoken by many ethnic groups and peoples in Brazil when the Portuguese conquered the country during the colonial era.

Three species used to be assigned to this genus, all characterized by a prominent bony crest on the head. They also had a short beak, reminiscent of modern birds.

The largest of these species, with a wingspan of up to 6 meters, has since been assigned to its own genus: Tupandactylus. The only recognized species today is Tapejara wellnhoferi, named after the German paleontologist Peter Wellnhofer.

There have only been a few finds of this pterosaur, so researchers can’t say much about its behavior and body structure yet. A similar specimen from Brazil is the Tupuxuara. It lived at the same time as Tapejara and reached a wingspan of about 5.5 meters.

• Genus: Tapejara
• Known Species: T. wellnhoferi (invalid: T. navigans, T. imperator)
• Period: Early Cretaceous (110 million years ago)
• Habitat: Brazil (South America)
• Length: 0.5–0.7 meters
• Wingspan: about 1.4 meters
• Weight: about 0.5 kilograms
• Speed: 29 km/h

Difference from Archaeopteryx

Difference between Pterosaurs and Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx is considered the first bird and a distant ancestor of modern birds. It is a so-called "transitional fossil" between dinosaurs and birds. Unlike pterosaurs, it had feathers and a beak-like snout with teeth.

It ate lizards and insects and was a descendant of predatory dinosaurs. Furthermore, Archaeopteryx was not yet a master of flight and was in a transitional form. Most pterosaur species, on the other hand, were geared for flying.

They lived in coastal regions where they could catch fish and had flight membranes, which you can find today, for example, in bats.

Pterosaurs in the Media

Probably the most famous pterosaur in the media is the Pteranodon "Petrie" from the film series "The Land Before Time" (starting in 1988).

In the movies, he is called a "flyer" and has adventures with the protagonist "Littlefoot" (a Brontosaurus) and his friends Cera (a Triceratops), Ducky (a Saurolophus), and Spike (a Stegosaurus).

Besides documentaries, exhibitions, and non-fiction books, pterosaurs also appear in video games like "ARK: Survival Evolved" (2017). There you can find several pterosaur species that you can tame and ride.

Pterosaur Sightings

Reports of Pterosaur sightings

There have been repeated sightings of creatures described as pterosaurs. They have allegedly been seen in Africa, the USA (California, Texas, Wyoming), Brazil, Vietnam, Madagascar, New Zealand, and Crete.

The "Ropen" is said to be causing trouble in Papua New Guinea and currently gets the most attention. The "Kongamato" or "Olitiau" has been described mainly in Africa.

In the 1920s, the Kaonde people were interviewed by Frank Hulme Melland and told of sightings of an animal with leathery wings and teeth in its beak. They identified it as a Pterodactylus.

For this reason, some cryptozoologists believe that some of the prehistoric animals could have survived to this day. There is no proof of this. However, their survival cannot be ruled out 100 percent either.

After all, the coelacanth was also thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1938. Similar assumptions and alleged sightings exist for the giant prehistoric shark Megalodon.

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