The Giant Flyer of the Prehistoric Skies!
Meet Quetzalcoatlus, the largest flying animal to ever soar through the skies!
| Meaning | Named after the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl |
| Pronunciation | KET-sal-koh-AT-lus |
| When: | Late Cretaceous (about 68–66 million years ago) |
| Where: | North America (notably in Texas) |
| What: | Pterosaur (one of the largest flying reptiles) |
| Weight: | Estimated 200–250 kg (440–550 pounds) |
| Length: | About 10–11 meters (33–36 feet) |
| Diet: | Likely piscivorous or scavenged |
| Discovered: | First described by Douglas A. Lawson in 1975 |
Quetzalcoatlus wasn’t a dinosaur but a pterosaur, a type of flying reptile that lived about 70 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period.
Imagine a creature with a wingspan as wide as a small airplane – up to 40 feet (12 meters) – and a beak as long as a human arm! That’s Quetzalcoatlus!
With its gigantic wings, it could glide high above ancient landscapes, using its sharp eyesight to spot prey below. Quetzalcoatlus had a long, toothless beak perfect for snatching fish from the water or small animals from the ground.
Its strong legs and powerful neck helped it launch into the air and glide gracefully over vast distances. This giant flyer, named after an Aztec god, was truly the king of the prehistoric skies!