Pteranodon
Meet Pteranodon, the giant flying reptile that soared above an ancient sea.
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Pteranodon gliding over ocean waves with wings outstretched.
Duskbloom Littles (Artistic Image Rendering)
Pteranodon was a flying reptile, not a dinosaur. It lived near the end of the dinosaur age and had a huge wingspan that helped it soar above the sea.
PTERANODON
COMMON NAME:
Pteranodon
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Pteranodon longiceps
TYPE:
Flying reptile (pterosaur)
DIET:
Carnivore (mostly fish)
GROUP NAME:
Colony
WHEN IT LIVED:
Late Cretaceous (about 86 to 84 million years ago)
WHERE IT LIVED:
Central North America
WINGSPAN:
About 20 to 23 feet
WEIGHT:
About 35 to 55 pounds
Soaring Over an Ancient Sea
Pteranodon lived near a huge inland sea that once covered the middle of North America. It likely skimmed the water to catch fish with its long, toothless beak.
The Famous Crest
Pteranodon had a long crest on its head. Scientists think the crest may have helped with balance or display, and it may have been different sizes in males and females.
Pteranodon clues: the inland sea habitat, beak detail, fish prey, and a Pteranodon fossil. Image Credits (from top left to bottom right): Duskbloom Littles (Artistic Image Rendering); Duskbloom Littles (Artistic Image Rendering); Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons; Smokeybjb, Wikimedia Commons
PTERANODON FACTS
It could glide for long distances using ocean winds
Its wings were made of skin stretched over a long finger
It had no teeth
Pterosaurs disappeared at the same time as dinosaurs
Pteranodon shows how many kinds of prehistoric animals lived in the skies as well as on land.
