Latest Pteranodon Stories

Unique specimen is first of its kind discovered as far south as Texas, where it flew over a vast ancient seaFossilized bones discovered in Texas from a flying reptile that died 89 million years ago may be the earliest occurrence of the prehistoric creature known as Pteranodon.Previously, Pteranodon bones have been found in Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming in the Niobrara and Pierre geological formations. This likely Pteranodon specimen is the first of its kind found in Texas, according to...

The discovery of an ancient fossil, nicknamed "˜Mrs. T', found with a fossilized egg in a Jurassic rock bed dating back 160 million years, has allowed scientists for the first time to sex pterodactyls. The fossil was found in the Jurassic sedimentary rocks of China's northeastern Liaoning Province and shows a nearly complete skeleton of a heavy-hipped female Darwinopterus and her egg. The find provides scientists with the first direct evidence for gender in these extinct reptilian fliers,...

A new study finds that ancient pterosaurs took flight by "pole-vaulting" using all four of their limbs.The winged reptiles vaulted over their wings, initially pushing off with their hind limbs and then thrusting themselves upwards with their strong arm muscles, the researchers said. Pterosaurs roamed the Earth at the same time as the dinosaurs, existing from about 220 million to 65 million years ago from the Triassic Period until the end of the Cretaceous.  The study's findings...

According to new research, several prehistoric creatures developed elaborate body traits in order to attract members of the opposite sex. The reason for the exaggerated crests and sails found in many fossil animals has been controversial for a while. Scientists said sails helped to regulate body temperature and that head crests helped flying reptiles steer during flight. A study said that these traits became so big because of sexual competition. An international team of researchers published...