Pteranodon is part of the pterosaur order. Even though these animals were capable of flying, they should not be seen as birds but rather as flying reptiles. The name pterosaur comes from Greek, which means “winged lizard”. They were the largest vertebrates ever to have crossed our skies.
To be more precise, pterosaurs are therefore not dinosaurs but rather a group of reptiles related to them. However, they are strangely closer to dinosaurs and birds than to the reptiles that inhabit our planet today. a0
The name pteranodon means “toothless wing”; in fact, this pterosaur species had no teeth, but a beak like that of birds. a0
In addition, its bones were hollow, reducing its weight and allowing it to fly. The walls of its bones measured only 1 mm thick! Unfortunately, this feature weakened the bones after fossilization and resulted in their decomposition, leaving very few remains. As a result, many discovered fossils are incomplete. a0
Similar to bats, their wings were made of thin membranes stretched from the armpit to the ankle and supported by the arm as well as by one finger much longer than the others. Like many flying animals, it is believed that they used warm air currents to maintain a certain altitude. a0
On the ground, pteranodons moved on all fours thanks to their shorter hind legs. However, these did not allow them to move very quickly. a0
A very large crest at the back of the skull, bigger in males than in females, is thought to have been used for communication between individuals. a0
In flight, large eyes made it easier to locate prey in the water. Fossilized fish scales discovered near a pteranodon suggest that this animal was primarily piscivorous. Its beak was used like a net to catch fish just like a pelican would. And just like that bird but unlike other pterosaurs, the pteranodon did not have any teeth.