The online museum of pterosaurs
Pteros
From Aerotitan to Zhenyuanopterus, every known genus of the flying reptiles that soared Mesozoic skies, illustrated and described.
New! Interactive paleoglobes and mapsWhere they lived
See any pterosaur’s world
Pick a pterosaur to see the Earth it lived on and the fossil sites where it was found.
Tour the great fossil sites
Most pterosaur fossils come from a handful of places. See what each one looked like when pterosaurs lived there.
Featured pterosaurs
Pterosaurs
Today's pterosaur · Friday 6 November
Istiodactylidae
Istiodactylus
Barremian · 2.75 m wingspan
The original istiodactylid, this large pterosaur might have been an overland scavenger like a vulture.
Explore pterosaur →Long-form features
Exhibits
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.
Growing up pterosaur
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.
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What is a pterosaur?
Not a dinosaur nor a "pterodactyl," pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to perfect powered flight.
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Flashy headdresses
Pterosaur crests came in a spectacular variety of shapes and sizes. A gallery of the flashiest headdresses, most likely display structures to attract mates.
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Deep time,
many angles
Pterosaurs are the longest-lived and most diverse group of flying vertebrates in Earth’s history. Every section of Pteros illuminates a different facet of their story.
