Pteranodon

PTERANODON
Pteranodoni s a genus of pterosaurs which included some of the largest known flying reptiles, with wingspans over 6 metres (20 ft). It existed during the late Cretaceous geological periodof North America in present day Kansas, Alabama, Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota. More fossil specimens of Pteranodon have been found than any other pterosaur, with about 1,200 specimens known toscience, many of them well preserved with nearly complete skulls and articulated skeletons. It was an important part of the animal community in the Western Interior Seaway.
Pteranodon was a reptile,but not a dinosaur. By definition, all dinosaurs belong to the groups Saurischia and Ornithischia, which exclude pterosaurs. Nevertheless, Pteranodon is frequently featured in dinosaur books and isstrongly associated with dinosaurs by the general public
Pteranodon species are extremely well represented in the fossil record, allowing for detailed descriptions of their anatomy and analysis oftheir life history. Over 1,000 specimens have been identified, though less than half are complete enough to give researchers good information on the anatomy of the animal. Still, this is more fossilmaterial than is known for any other pterosaur, and it includes both male and female specimens of various age groups and, possibly, species
Adult Pteranodon specimens from the two major species can bedivided into two distinct size classes. The smaller class of specimens have small, rounded head crests and very wide pelvic canals, even wider than those of the much larger size class. The size of thepelvic canal probably allowed the laying of eggs, indicating that these smaller adults are females. The larger size class, representing male individuals, have narrow hips and very large crests, whichwere probably for display.
Adult male Pteranodon were among the largest pterosaurs, and were the largest flying reptiles known until the late 20th Century, when the giant azhdarchid pterosaurs were...