This Giraffe-Sized Reptile Was the Largest Flying Creature to Ever Live
Quetzalcoatlus—a member of the ancient group of flying reptiles called pterosaurs—was the largest flying creature to ever live. This giraffe-sized reptile had thin limbs, a terrifyingly long beak and a whopping 40-foot wingspan.
Though Quetzalcoatlus was discovered around 50 years ago, scientists have had a tricky time piecing together details of this creature's life—including how it even managed to lift its giant body off the ground to fly, Megan Marples reports for CNN. New research suggests that the creature crouched and then launched itself eight feet in the air, giving it enough space from the ground to flap its wings and lift off.
Once the reptiles were airborne, they could fly well. "Pterosaurs have huge breastbones, which is where the flight muscles attach, so there is no doubt that they were terrific flyers," Padian says in the press release.
A new collection of research published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology offers the most comprehensive information on Quetzalcoatlus yet. The new studies also offer insights into how Quetzalcoatlus lived. It inhabited an evergreen forest and hunted in the water. The larger species behaved like a heron, a long-necked bird that wades through water. Quetzalcoatlus hunted by snatching critters like crabs, clams and worms out of freshwater bodies using their long beaks. The larger species likely hunted solo, but the smaller species flocked together for at least part of the year, given that the fossils of more than 30 individuals were found at one site.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-studies-unveil-details-about-the-largest-flying-creature-to-ever-live-180979193/
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