Pterosaurs, like most other reptiles, started life as an egg, and fossil pterosaur eggs are very rare. Paleontologists have discovered several eggs, embryos, baby pterosaurs and nesting grounds.
Getting into the air
Before birds and bats, pterosaurs were the first flying vertebrates in Earth's history. When pterosaurs were first discovered, most scientists recognized that they were flying animals, but just how they got into the air was a mystery.
pterosaurs
Cryodrakon
Paleontologists thought the first bones from this giant Canadian pterosaur were from Quetzalcoatlus.
Bogolubovia
Russia’s first discovered pterosaur fossil was a partial neck vertebrae from a medium-sized azhdarchid.
Alanqa
Africa's first real azhdarchid discovery was also a neighbor of a few famous dinosaurs like the fish-eating Spinosaurus and the vicious Carcharodontosaurus.
Barbaridactylus
Barbaridactylus fished off the coast of Africa in the final years of the Mesozoic Era.
Vectidraco
The only specimen of Vectidraco was discovered eroding from a cliff on the Isle of Wight.
Quetzalcoatlus
The tallest flying animal ever, and often seen sharing the title of "Largest Flying Vertebrate" with Hatzegopteryx, this was also one of the last of its kind. Quetzalcoatlus soared over North America, meeting the famous likes of T. rex and Triceratops before vanishing like the rest of its neighbors 66 million years ago.
Cryodrakon
Paleontologists thought the first bones from this giant Canadian pterosaur were from Quetzalcoatlus.
Bogolubovia
Russia’s first discovered pterosaur fossil was a partial neck vertebrae from a medium-sized azhdarchid.
Alanqa
Africa's first real azhdarchid discovery was also a neighbor of a few famous dinosaurs like the fish-eating Spinosaurus and the vicious Carcharodontosaurus.
Barbaridactylus
Barbaridactylus fished off the coast of Africa in the final years of the Mesozoic Era.
Vectidraco
The only specimen of Vectidraco was discovered eroding from a cliff on the Isle of Wight.
Quetzalcoatlus
The tallest flying animal ever, and often seen sharing the title of "Largest Flying Vertebrate" with Hatzegopteryx, this was also one of the last of its kind. Quetzalcoatlus soared over North America, meeting the famous likes of T. rex and Triceratops before vanishing like the rest of its neighbors 66 million years ago.
Cryodrakon
Paleontologists thought the first bones from this giant Canadian pterosaur were from Quetzalcoatlus.
Bogolubovia
Russia’s first discovered pterosaur fossil was a partial neck vertebrae from a medium-sized azhdarchid.
Alanqa
Africa's first real azhdarchid discovery was also a neighbor of a few famous dinosaurs like the fish-eating Spinosaurus and the vicious Carcharodontosaurus.
