CollectA 88039 - Pteranodon

ca. 16 x 3 cm
Name: Pteranodon ‭(‬Toothless wing‭)‬.
Named By: Othniel Charles Marsh‭ ‬-‭ ‬1876.
Synonyms: Geosternbergia sternbergi,‭ ‬G.‭ ‬walkeri,‭ ‬Ornithocheirus harpyia,‭ ‬O.‭ ‬umbrosus,‭ ‬Ornithochirus harpyia,‭ ‬O.‭ ‬umbrosus,‭ ‬Ornithostoma ingens,‭ ‬O.‭ ‬umbrosum,‭ ‬Pteranodon eatoni,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Geosternbergia‭) ‬sternbergi,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Geosternbergia‭) ‬walkeri,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Longicepia‭) ‬ingens,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Longicepia‭) ‬longicps,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Longicepia‭) ‬marshi,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬marshi,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Pteranodon‭) ‬ingens,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Pteranodon‭) ‬marshi,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Occidentalia‭) ‬eatoni,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Occidentalia‭) ‬occidentalis,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Sternbergia‭) ‬sternbergi,‭ ‬P.‭ (‬Sternbergia‭) ‬walkeri,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬walkeri,‭ ‬Pterodactylus occidentalis.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Pterosauria,‭ ‬Pterodactyloidea,‭ ‬Pteranodontidae.
Species: P.‭ ‬longiceps‭ (‬type‭)‬,‭ ‬P.‭ ‬stembergi.
Type: Piscivore.
Size: Males average wingspans of around 5.6 meters, though largest males attain wingspans approaching 6.25 meters across. Isolated remains suggest an upper size of males of 7 meters though these fossils might not be Pteranodon. Females much smaller with wingspans averaging 3.5 meters
Known locations: USA‭ ‬-‭ ‬Niobrara Formation,‭ ‬Pierre Shale Formation.
Time period: Coniacian to Campanian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Other a‭ ‬1,000‭ ‬known specimens,‭ ‬although over half are of partial remains.