Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs are flying reptile-like creatures. The word “Pterosaur” is taken from a Greek word meaning “wing lizard.” Pterosaurs were first called Pterodactylus after the first recorded Pterosaur fossil was found. Later that kind was named Pterosaur after many types of Pterosaur fossils were discovered. There are two groups of Pterosaurs. One group has large heads, short beaks, short necks and long tails. These are called Rhamphorhynchoids meaning “prow-beak”. Though this name is no longer used today, it is a good descriptive name for this group. The second group has longer narrower heads and beaks, longer necks, and shorter tails. This group is known as Pterodactyloids. Pterosaurs have membranous wings. This membrane stretches from the tip of their wings to their legs. Some varieties of Pterosaur membranes end at the beginning of their thigh and others end at the beginning of their feet. Many Pterosaurs are known to have a crest on their head. Some of the smaller Pterosaurs have a wing span of three and a half feet, though some even smaller ones have been known to have a fourteen inch wing span. The larger Pterosaurs can have a wing span of up to 50 feet. Many scientists and people call Pterosaurs dinosaurs, though this is not entirely accurate. Dinosaurs walk upright where as Pterosaurs are hunched over. Dinosaur also is defined as something very old. So in this aspect, dinosaur may be applied to Pterosaurs. Pterosaurs have a large varied diet. Some types eat insects and fish and others eat meat by scavenging, or in some cases, hunting and catching prey. Many of the Pterosaurs are nocturnal, coming out only at night to hunt for food. Many fossils of Pterosaurs have been found all over the world. More than 100 types of this kind have been discovered in Brazil, China, Antarctica, North America, Germany and other countries. One of the first recordered Pterosaur fossils was found in 1783 in Germany. When and where did Pterosaurs live? There is trace evidence of when and where they lived. Pterosaur fossils have been found on nearly every continent. There are ancient artifacts that have been discovered that date from 100AD to 800 AD. In Manitou Springs, Colorado, North America an artifact, dated about 100 AD, is displayed at the Cliff Dwellings Museum. This artifact is an Anasazi Indian prayer stick with a Pterosaur head carved on the top. Other ancient artifacts that have been found are from the Ica Indian era in South America. There are Ica burial stones that have a Pterosaur etched on them in great detail. There is a reference made in the Bible during the time of the Kings of Israel between 767 BC and 687 BC, of a possible type of Pterosaur mentioned in Isaiah 14:29, and 30:6. Are Pterosaur “dinosaurs” extinct? Could they still be alive today? There is some evidence that Pterosaurs are alive today. There have been multiple eye witness accounts of Pterosaurs in many countries today. In the United States sightings of various types of Pterosaurs have been reported in South Carolina near the swamp land. Also, sightings have been reported in Virginia, and in New Jersey. In Papa New Guinea the natives there call Pterosaurs Ropen. They describe many different types of Pterosaurs, or Ropen. One Ropen has been measured to have a wing span of twenty feet, this one was sighted in 2001. ******************************************************************************* ***************************Pterosaur Gallary***************************