The Sky Soaring Flyer with a Giant Crest!
Say hello to Pteranodon, the incredible flying reptile that ruled the skies with its enormous wings and distinctive crest!
| Meaning | Winged and toothless [Pter-an-odon] |
| Pronunciation | tuh-RAN-uh-don |
| When: | Late Cretaceous (about 100–70 million years ago) |
| Where: | North America (notably in Kansas, Alabama, Nebraska, and Wyoming) |
| What: | Pterosaur (large flying reptile) |
| Weight: | Approximately 15–25 kg (33–55 pounds) |
| Length: | About 5.5–10 meters (18–33 feet) |
| Diet: | Piscivorous (fed on fish) |
| Discovered: | First described by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1876 |
Pteranodon wasn’t a dinosaur but a pterosaur, a type of prehistoric flying reptile that lived around 70 million years ago.
With a wingspan as wide as a small airplane, Pteranodon could soar gracefully through the air, gliding over ancient seas and catching fish with its long, pointed beak.
Imagine a creature with wings stretching up to 33 feet (10 meters) wide and a head adorned with a large, backward-pointing crest – that’s Pteranodon!
This amazing crest helped it steer in the air and might have been used to attract mates or show off.
With its sleek body and powerful wings, Pteranodon was the master of the skies, gliding effortlessly in search of food and adventure!