Page 152 - The Dinosaur Book and Other Wonders of the Prehistoric World (DK-Smithsonian)
P. 152
Later pterosaurs
Discovered in Brazil in 2013,
this midsized pterosaur had
Pterosaurs a spectacular head crest.
The wingspan was
more than 10 ft (3 m).
Caupedactylus Like most pterosaurs,
Pteranodon had three
mobile fingers at the
bend of each wing.
More
than 1,200
fossil specimens
make Pteranodon the
best-known
pterosaur. The long necks of later
pterosaurs made it easy
for them to snatch prey
off the ground.
Pterosaurs had excellent
vision, like birds, and highly
developed flight control
centers in the brain. Elanodactylus
Ludodactylus
Tapejara Pteranodon
During the Jurassic Period, about 166 million them, including Tapejara and Elanodactylus,
years ago, pterosaurs with a new body regularly walked on all fours, with their outer
plan started appearing. They had longer wings folded out of the way. Some pterosaurs
necks, shorter tails, and were also better were probably agile enough to hunt like this.
adapted to life on the ground—evidence Others, like Pteranodon and Cearadactylus,
150 from fossil footprints shows that many of seem to have hunted at sea—they were probably
US_150-151_Later_Pterosaurs.indd 150 10/04/18 3:35 PM

