Pteranodontidae
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Sauropsida
- Order: Pterosauria
- Family: Pteranodontidae
Overview
Pteranodontidae Marsh, 1876
Common Name: 'Wing without tooth'
Extant/Extinct
Key morphological features: Pteranodons were winged and toothless flying reptiles. A single lengthened finger on each hand supported their large leathery wings. "Their upper bodies were stiffened by rigidly binding the fused dorsal vertebrae, ribs, and sternum together into a solid structure that supported the large muscles needed to power their wings. Some pterosaurs were covered with fur and it is likely that they were "warm-blooded" to some extent. They had three clawed fingers on each hand and four clawed toes on each foot." (Everhart, 2005)
SIZE: 25cm to 11-12 meters
Paleoecology:
MOBILITY: Mobile (fly)
FEEDING MODE: Predator of fish and crustaceans
HABITAT: epifaunal
Sources:
Everhart, M. J., 2005. Oceans of Kansas: A Natural History of the Western Interior Sea. Indiana University Press, Bloomington. 322 pp.
