Pteranodon is one of the largest pterosaurs ever to have existed with a wingspan stretching up to 7m, and is easily recognizable thanks to the crest on the top of its skull, which it uses for display purposes. Although its diet consists largely of fish, Pteranodon does not have teeth, chewing its prey with its beak – in fact, its name translates to 'wing toothless'.
Discovery
With over 1,200 known specimens, Pteranodon is one of the most well-known genera of flying reptiles. The first remains were found in 1870 by American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in Kansas, when he unearthed numerous wing bones from the Smoky Hill Chalk Member. Initially the find was classified as Pterodactylus, but the 1876 excavation of a skull with no teeth confirmed that it was a new genus.
Paleoecology
Pteranodon lived around 80-85m years ago during the Late Cretaceous period, and is native to North America – particularly around the Western Interior Seaway. It lived alongside its relative Nyctosaurus and the toothed bird Ichthyornis, and built their nests high up to avoid predators.
