Tapejaridae
Their crests were a crowning achievement among the pterosaurs, and they were probably among the weirdest of their kind.
Pterosaurs
12 genera-
AptianAfrotapejara
Africa’s first known tapejarid lived alongside the enormous theropod Spinosaurus.
Wingspan 4 m -
AptianAymberedactylus
Aymberedactylus is a "chin-crested" tapejarid from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation lagerstätte of Ceará, northeastern Brazil.
Wingspan 2 m -
CampanianCaiuajara
The last of the tapejarids and also one of the best preserved. Caiuajara was discovered in a huge flock, bang in the middle of an ancient Brazilian desert. Its fossils help us to understand these creatures a bit more, including how they grew up and what their family life was like.
Wingspan 2.5 m -
AptianCaupedactylus
This crested Brazilian pterosaur is named for the Tupi goddess of the sky.
Wingspan 3 m -
BarremianEuropejara
This Spanish pterosaur was the earliest known tapejarid, a family characterized by tall rounded crests on their upper and lower jaws.
Wingspan 2 m -
AptianHuaxiapterus
A diminutive tapejarid, Huaxiapterus was one of many prolific Jiufotang pterosaurs.
Wingspan 1.5 m -
AptianJidapterus
Chaoyangopterus' kin clearly dominated many parts of the world. The Early Cretaceous world was their oyster. They spread through China and even Brazil, living like their long-necked azhdarchid kin as terrestrial stalkers.
Wingspan 1.7 m -
BarremianNemicolopterus
Whether it is a baby of another pterosaur or an individual in its own right, Nemicolopterus is the smallest pterosaur yet found. It soared through the Chinese forests on narrow, long wings, powering its stout body like a fluffy little bullet.
Wingspan 10 cm -
AptianSinopterus
This cat-sized crested pterosaur had no teeth, but ate almost anything.
Wingspan 1.5 m -
AptianTapejara
This rather small pterosaur hails from Early Cretaceous Brazil, and made a small appearance in the 1999 BBC TV show 'Walking with Dinosaurs'. It is well known for having a rather small crest, unlike most of its family with impressive headgear. Its short jaws may have been used to crack fruits and nuts as well as tackle small animals.
Wingspan 2 m -
AptianTupandactylus
A Brazilian pterosaur, this animal's gargantuan crest was yet another of those over-developed display organs. In real life, it may have been a colorful sail that made it stand out while either flying or just walking overland.
Wingspan 5 m -
BarremianWightia
This English pterosaur appears to have family ties to long-snouted tapejarids from Asia.
Wingspan 5 m
