The largest pterosaurs – Top 10

Pterosaurs with largest wingspan – Top 10

Pterosaurs were flying reptiles but not flying dinosaurs. They lived 162 mln years from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period – 228 to 66 million years ago. Pterosaurs were the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight. Their wings were formed by a membrane of skin, muscle, and other tissues stretching from the ankles to a incredible lengthened fourth finger.

Pterosaurs spanned a wide range of adult sizes, from the very small Nemicolopterus (with a wingspan of about 250 mm (10 in)) to the largest known flying creatures of all time, including Quetzalcoatlus and Hatzegopteryx.

Pterosaurs with largest wingspan – Top 10

1. Arambourgiania philadelphiae 7–13 m (23–43 ft)
2. Hatzegopteryx thambema 10–11 m (33–36 ft)
3. Quetzalcoatlus northropi 10–11 m (33–36 ft)
4. Undescribed specimen from Mongolia 10 m (33 ft)
5. Undescribed specimen UNCUYO-LD 350 9.1 m (30 ft)
6. Tropeognathus mesembrinus 8.2 m (27 ft)
7. Geosternbergia maysei 7.25 m (24 ft)
8. Arambourgiania philadelphiae 7 m (23 ft) or 10-13 m (33–42.7 ft)
   
9. Coloborhynchus capito 7 m (23 ft)
10. Moganopterus zhuiana 7 m (23 ft)
11. Pteranodon longiceps 6.25 m (20.5 ft)
12. Tupuxuara longicristatus 6 m (20 ft)
13. Santanadactylus araripensis 5.7 m (19 ft)
14. Cearadactylus atrox 5.5 m (18 ft)
15. Caulkicephalus trimicrodon 5 m (16 ft)
16. Istiodactylus latidens 5 m (16 ft)
17. Lacusovagus magnificens 5 m (16 ft)
18. Liaoningopterus gui 5 m (16 ft)
19. Phosphatodraco mauritanicus 5 m (16 ft)

The largest pterosaurs – update year 2018

No	Pterosaur	Wingspan [m]
61	Piksi barbarulna	1.0
60	“Ornithocheirus” bunzeli	1.5
59	Hell Creek pteranodontian	1.5
58	Nyctosauridae KJ1	1.7
57	Alcione sp.	1.8
56	Nyctosauridae KJ2	2.0
55	Alcione (small morph)	2.1
54	DPP small azhdarchid (TMP 1982.16.303, humerus)	2.4
53	Pui Beds Azhdarchid	2.4
52	Alcione elainus	2.4
51	Montanazhdarcho minor	2.5
50	Lance Formation azhdarchid	2.5
49	Kaiparowits Azhdarchid	2.8
48	Nyctosaurus bonneri (FHSM 2148)	2.9
47	Eurazhdarcho langendorfensis	3.0
46	Fox-Amphoux azhdarchid	3.0
45	Iharkut azhdarchid	3.3
44	Lano azhdarchid	3.3
43	Zhejiangopterus linhaiensis	3.5
42	Navajodactylus boeri	3.5
41	Bogolubovia orientalis	3.5
40	Bakonydraco galaczi	3.8
39	DPP medium azhdarchid (TMP 87.36.16, metacarpal IV)	3.8
38	Miria formation azhdarchid	3.8
37	Nyctosaurus gracilis (YPM 2395)	3.9
36	Barbaridactylus grandis	4.0
35	Nyctosaurus lamegoi	4.0
34	Hell Creek azhdarchid MPM 8075	4.2
33	Saratov Azhdarchid	4.3
32	DPP medium azdarchid (TMP 1992.83.4;	4.5
31	aff. Quetzalcoatlus	4.6
30	Pteranodon longiceps	4.9
29	Tethydraco	5.0
28	Dawndraco kanzai	5.0
27	Phosphatodraco mauritanicus	5.0
26	Quetzalcoatlus sp	5.0
25	Jordanian azhdarchid	5.0
24	Unnamed Transylvanian Taxon	5.0
23	Simurghia robustus	5.0
22	Geosternbergia sternbergi	5.3
21	La Solana azhdarchid	5.5
20	YPM-PU 16619	5.7
19	Volgadraco bogolubovi	5.7
18	Javelina azhdarchid TMM 42489	5.8
17	Merchantville pteranodontid	5.9
16	Two Medicine azhdarchid (YPM-PU 22446)	5.9
15	Aralazhdarcho bostobensis	6.3
14	DPP  large azhdarchid (1992.83.01, wing metacarpal)	6.6
13	Hokkaido pteranodontid	6.8
12	Pteranodon longiceps	6.9
11	DPP large azhdarchid (TMP 1989.36.254, cervical)	7.4
10	Merignon azhdarchid	8.5
9	Sidi Chennane Giant	9.0
8	Hell Creek Azhdarchid	9.8
7	Transylvania giant azhdarchid	10.0
6	Quetzalcoatlus northropi	10.1
5	Hatzegopteryx thambema	10.5
4	Top Bozes Formation/ Petresti Giant Azhdarchid	10.5
3	Sebes Formation / Rapa Rosie azhdarchid	10.5
2	Nemegt Azhdarchid	11.0
1	Arambourgiania philadelphiae	12.5

 

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