Characteristics and Behaviors of Pterosaurs

Characteristics and Behaviors of Pterosaurs

Overview

Pterosaurs were not dinosaurs but were closely related, and existed for 150 million years beginning in the late Triassic period through the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods until eventually becoming extinct along with the rest of the earth’s population at what is now known as the KT boundary event. The KT boundary event was the mass extinction that occurred at some point in time between the Cretaceous (K) and the Tertiary (T). This is famous because it marks the end of the 160 million years of dinosaur life. The theory is that asteroid rock hit the earth and caused the mass extinction. 1

Pterosaurs are commonly thought to be ancestors of modern day birds, but this is not true, even though they resemble bird and even bats of today. Much has been debated over what kind of behaviors pterosaurs exhibited when they existed. Today, more is known of what they were like 150 million years ago. Pterosaurs existed as different kinds of flying creatures. Their sizes ranged from a wing span of 6 inches to 40 feet and had different shaped and sizes of skulls. The two major kinds of pterosaurs were rhamphorhynchoids and pterodactyls. 2 Rhamphorhynchoids were a smaller type of pterosaur and pterodactyls were larger and rarer in numbers.

Stereotypes and False Impressions

Many people once believed that pterosaurs were weak flyers, or at least the larger ones were. The idea was that they used their large wings to glide instead of flap like flying creatures. This is now known to be false. Pterosaurs were also thought to be dinosaurs with similar anatomical features. Studies have shown now though that since the pterosaurs were not flappers but active flyers, their hearts were similar to those of mammals with four chambers, needed for an active way of life, unlike reptiles. In the past century, pterosaurs fossils have been known to be found with fur, which leads scientists to believe that pterosaurs needed insulation to keep in heat which indicated pterosaurs were active like mammals and warm blooded. 1

Like many sea birds or birds who fish out of the water, it was thought that pterosaurs dove strait into the water to catch their meal. This is not the case. Because pterosaurs have been known to grow as large as 40 feet in length and it would be impossible for such a large creature with such frail frames to crash into the water and survive.