The pteranodon is the most famous flying dinosaur in existence. It lived during the Cretaceous period and can be recognized by the crest on the back of its head. We have everything you need to know, important characteristics, and a profile.
The pteranodon was a large flying dinosaur (pterosaur) with a wingspan of up to nine meters. Like today’s seabirds, it lived near the sea and fed mainly on fish.
It is known from the films “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” as well as the video game “ARK: Survival Evolved.” However, the depiction of the flying reptile sometimes deviates from scientific facts.
Interesting facts about the Pteranodon
Interesting facts about the Pteranodon
In this chapter, you will learn how pterosaurs differ from dinosaurs and what types of pterosaurs there are. We will also tell you when and where the first pteranodon fossils were found and what the dinosaur’s name means.
Difference between dinosaurs and pterosaurs
Pterosaurs are often referred to as ‘flying dinosaurs’ or ‘flying dinos’. Strictly speaking, however, they are not dinosaurs and can be considered a separate group of reptiles.
Their scientific name is “pterosaur” (meaning “winged lizard”).. They are characterized by their flying membranes, which made them the first vertebrates in the world to fly. Dinosaurs such as the Ankylosaurus or
Nevertheless, the three groups of dinosaurs are related and belong to the reptile family. The ancestor of the pterosaurs, Scleromochlus taylori, lived during the Triassic period and had characteristics of both dinosaurs and pterosaurs. At some point, this species probably evolved into the pterosaurs.
Flugsaurier-Arten
Quetzalcoatlus (left) and Hatzegopteryx (right)
Pterosaurs can be divided into long-tailed pterosaurs (Rhamphorhynchoidea) and short-tailed pterosaurs (Pterodactyloidea). The long-tailed specimens had short metacarpal bones and lived first. They evolved in the Triassic period and became extinct towards the end of the Jurassic period (Late Jurassic).
Pterosaurs with short tails had longer metacarpal bones and did not evolve until the middle of the Jurassic period. They died out along with the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period.
Researchers have discovered that the short-tailed species were descended from the long-tailed pterosaurs. Pteranodon belongs to the short-tailed pterosaurs. Below are some examples of interesting pterosaur species.
- Pterodactylus (Jurassic, short tail, rather small, minimal or no crest, many small teeth)
- Dimorphodon (Jurassic, long tail, rather small, no crest, some pointed teeth)
- Hatzegopteryx (Cretaceous, short tail, enormous size, no teeth)
- Tapejara (Cretaceous, short tail, small, distinctive crest on the back of the head, no teeth)
The largest pterosaur in the world to date is Quetzalcoatlus northropi. Its wingspan reached 11 to 13 meters and it weighed between 100 and 200 kilograms.
Perhaps only a pterosaur named “Dracula” was heavier. Researchers even disagree as to whether the two giants could fly at all at this weight.
Discovery of Pteranodon
Discovery site Smoky Hill in Kansas (USA)
Pteranodon was the first flying dinosaur to be found outside Europe. The famous paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh first discovered its remains in 1870 in the Smoky Hill Limestone in Kansas (USA). Many marine creatures from the Cretaceous period were also found at this site, as this part of the USA was covered by a large shallow sea at that time.
Marsh initially thought that the teeth found alongside the bones of the bony fish Xiphactinus belonged to a pteranodon, as all pterosaurs found up to that point had teeth. He also thought it was a pterodactyl.
However, after two skulls were found, it turned out that this specimen was toothless and belonged to a different genus. So, in 1876, the new dinosaur was renamed “Pteranodon.” There have now been over 1,000 finds of the flying reptile in Kansas, Alabama, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
Its missing teeth are reflected in the name Pteranodon. It is composed of the Greek words for “wing,” “not,” and “tooth.” Translated, it means “toothless wing.”
Characteristics of the Pteranodon
Characteristics of the Pteranodon
In this chapter, we have compiled the most important characteristics of the Pteranodon for you. These include the classification of the species, the size of the flying reptile, and its way of life. You will also learn when the dinosaur lived, what it ate, and how it moved.
Classification of the genus
So far, three species of the genus have been clearly identified: Pteranodon longiceps, P. ingens, and P. sternbergi. The latter is the largest of the three species.
The genus belongs to the Pteranodontidae family. This family can in turn be classified as Ornithocheiroidea. This group includes medium-sized to large short-tailed pterosaurs from the Cretaceous period.
All pterosaurs belong to the Ornithodira group. This includes all descendants of the last common ancestor of dinosaurs and pterosaurs. Since today’s birds also evolved from dinosaurs, they also belong to this taxon.
Taxa are specific groups in the biological classification system. They classify animal species according to their relationships.
Since pterosaurs look very similar to birds, one might think that modern birds are descended from them. In fact, however, they are more closely related to carnivorous dinosaurs.
The primeval bird Archaeopteryx was a so-called bridge animal and formed a transitional form from dinosaurs to birds. Birds also differ from pterosaurs in that they have feathers instead of flight membranes.
When did the Pteranodon live?
When the pterosaur lived
Like dinosaurs and marine reptiles, pterosaurs lived during the Mesozoic era. This consists of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. Pteranodon lived during the late Cretaceous period (Upper Cretaceous) between 86.3 and 72 million years ago.
Based on fossil finds to date, its genus existed for 5.7 million years. The exact periods in which the pterosaur lived are called the Santonian and Campanian. They immediately precede the Maastrichtian, the last period in the history of the dinosaurs.
Habitat
The habitat of Pteranodon was a primeval shallow sea in North America. Fossils have been found in Kansas, Alabama, Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Many researchers assume that the animals nested near the coast.
At that time, the sea was home to ammonites, squids, fish, and sea turtles (Toxochelys), as well as marine reptiles such as Styxosaurus, Clidastes, and Tylosaurus. Remains of the flightless bird Parahesperornis, which dived into the sea for food, have also been found.
The climate was warm, unlike today’s Ice Age. The polar ice caps were not yet frozen and the sea level was very high. The weather was warm and balanced.
Size and weight
The Pteranodon usually reached a wingspan of seven meters—Pteranodon sternbergi even up to nine meters—and grew to over two meters long. On all fours, it probably reached the hips of an average-sized human without the occipital crest.
Scientists still disagree about its weight. Estimates range from 20 to 93 kilograms, although figures above 50 kilograms are rather unlikely.
Build and posture
Build and posture
Like all pterosaurs, the Pteranodon had flying membranes stretched between its arms and legs. It had light bones to enable it to fly better. However, the most striking feature of the pterosaur is its crest.
This could develop different shapes and sizes depending on the species, age, and sex. The Pteranodon longiceps, for example, had a crest that tapered toward the rear, while the Pteranodon sternbergi had a broad crest.
Specimens of both species have been found in different sizes. Males had larger crests than females. It probably served for communication or courtship. There are also theories that the crest was intended to balance the weight of the beak to ensure better flight stability.
Another characteristic of the pterosaur is its long, narrow, upward-curving beak without teeth. Its eyes were small and located on the sides and high up on the head. The females also had an additional pelvic canal, presumably for laying eggs.
Researchers assume that the Pteranodon supported itself on its arms on land and thus moved on all fours. This assumption is also supported by the pelvic posture of the animals found.
Flying abilities and speed
Flight abilities and speed
Like many larger pterosaurs, the Pteranodon probably used gliding or soaring flight to move through the air. This allowed it to launch targeted attacks on its prey under favorable wind conditions and fly long distances.
The maximum speed of pterosaurs was probably around 60 kilometers per hour. This estimate is based on the speeds reached by flying foxes today.
Researchers believe that smaller pterosaur species were more agile and dynamic flyers.
Way of life and diet
Pteranodon fed mainly on fish, as evidenced by fish bones found in its fossilized stomach. It probably also ate other smaller sea creatures and carrion.
Researchers believe that it lived in colonies and nested near the coast. The males competed for a larger group of females. From cliffs and tall trees, the animals could launch themselves into the wind to begin their gliding flight and go fishing.
Profile: The Pteranodon
Profile: The Pteranodon
Below, we have compiled the most important facts about the Pteranodon for you. This includes the classification of its species, its habitat, its appearance, and its size.
After that, you will find a comparison with Pterodactylus, as well as information about the representation of the Pteranodon in popular culture and the extinction of the pterosaurs.
- Name of the genus: Pteranodon (“toothless wing”)
- Known species: P. longiceps, P. ingens, P. sternbergi
- Family: Pteranodontidae
- Subgroup: Ornithocheiroidea
- Group: Short-tailed pterosaurs (Pterodactyloidea)
- Order: Pterosaurs (Pterosauria)
- Animal group: Reptiles
- Period: Cretaceous (Late Cretaceous, 86.3–72 million years ago)
- Habitat: North America
- Diet: Fish and meat eater
- Physical characteristics: Occipital crest, long skull, slightly upturned beak, no teeth, small eyes
- Wingspan: 7–9 meters
- Length: 3 meters
- Weight: Approximately 20 kilograms
Pteranodon versus Pterodactylus
Pteranodon versus Pterodactylus
In this chapter, we compared the two most well-known species of flying dinosaurs. This will give you a better idea of how big the Pteranodon really was.
Even though the Pterodactylus looks quite small compared to it, there were definitely smaller specimens. The Nemicolopterus crypticus weighed only 20 grams and had a wingspan of just 25 centimeters. This made it about the size of a sparrow.
The pteranodon in popular culture
The pteranodon can be found in feature films, documentaries, video games, as a toy figure, and as a coloring page, for example. Like many other dinosaurs, it is present in popular culture.
However, the boundaries between fantasy and scientific facts become blurred. We have three examples of different representations of the flying lizard.
Depiction in “Jurassic World”
The Pteranodon appears in ”Jurassic World"
The Pteranodon makes several appearances in the Jurassic Park film series. It was also included in Jurassic World, where it was even larger.
Weighing 31 kilograms, measuring 5 meters in length, and with a wingspan of up to 10 meters, the Pteranodon in Jurassic World surpasses the real dinosaur. However, the differences are not very significant when considering the largest species, Pteranodon sternbergi.
In the films, the flying lizards are portrayed as aggressive and dangerous to humans. They attack them from the air and carry them around.
These behaviors were chosen for dramatic reasons and are not based on facts. It would not have been possible for a Pteranodon to carry a weight greater than that of a small child while in flight.
Pteranodon in “ARK: Survival Evolved”
In the adventure game ‘ARK’ (2017), the player enters a world ruled by prehistoric creatures. These include dinosaurs, sea monsters, flying reptiles, and later giants such as the Titanoboa and the giant shark Megalodon.
The fictional species Pteranodon wyvernus is the first flying animal that players can tame and ride. A saddle is unlocked at level 38 to fly on it. In reality, it would never have been possible for a human to fly on such an animal. The weight would have been too high.
The behavior of the flying lizard in “ARK” differs greatly from its portrayal in the Jurassic film series. The dinosaur does not attack the player, but flies away when it gets too close. It only shows aggressive behavior when its eggs are stolen. Here, too, the behavior is not based on scientific evidence.
Visually, the fictional species in ARK resembles the real Pteranodon, but it is somewhat exaggerated. The otherwise toothless dinosaur has many small teeth, and the crest on the back of its head is more impressive than fossil finds show.
Depiction in “The Land Before Time”
A young Pteranodon also plays one of the leading roles in the American animated film “The Land Before Time” (1988). There, the little “flyer” named Petrie is part of a group of dinosaur friends.
This group consists of the main character Littlefoot (Brontosaurus), Cera (Triceratops), Spike (Stegosaurus) and Ducky (Saurolophus). The baby animals go on adventures together and encounter many different species of dinosaurs. The first film was followed by sequels and a television series.
The dinosaurs in the film were simplified and stylized. They were also heavily humanized. They can talk and have their own personalities, stand up for each other, and uphold moral values. In these respects, they differ from real dinosaurs.
On the other hand, fossil evidence in England does indicate that mixed herds of herbivores migrated together. However, there is no evidence of pterosaurs joining such groups. Furthermore, it is unlikely that there were close bonds or even friendships developed between the species.
Extinction of the pterosaurs
Extinction of the pterosaurs
The pterosaurs died out along with the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The mass extinction affected around 20 percent of all animal families and 50 percent of all species. The cause was a 14-kilometer-long asteroid.
The impact sent ash and dust into the atmosphere, blocking out sunlight. This resulted in months of darkness, which impaired the growth of flora and fauna. Another consequence was volcanic eruptions and a drop in temperature, which made it difficult for species to survive.
Pteranodon died out before the mass extinction 72 million years ago. It lived on Earth for 5.7 million years. It probably became extinct because environmental conditions changed.
One reason could have been the changing climate and continental drift during the Cretaceous period.
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