DinoFrontier
About Pteranodon
Pteranodon was a large flying reptile that soared over the Western Interior Seaway, a shallow sea that once split North America in two. It is one of the best-known pterosaurs, with over a thousand specimens found.
It had no teeth at all, unlike earlier pterosaurs, and its long pointed beak was balanced by a tall bony crest sweeping back from the skull. Males were much larger than females and had bigger crests, likely used for display.
Pteranodon lived much like a modern albatross or gannet, gliding long distances over open water and catching fish, possibly by plunging into the sea or scooping from the surface.
Pteranodon facts
- Fish bones and scales have been found in the throat and stomach areas of Pteranodon fossils.
- Pteranodon was the first pterosaur found outside Europe.
- Pteranodon was not a dinosaur, and it did not give rise to birds. Birds evolved from small theropod dinosaurs.
- Females had smaller crests and wider pelvic canals, likely for laying eggs.
Discovery
O. C. Marsh found the first Pteranodon wing bones in the chalk of western Kansas in 1870, and named the genus in 1876 after finding toothless skulls. Collectors working for Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope recovered hundreds more during the "Bone Wars".
