“ | With its huge size and characteristic crest, this could only be one thing. Not a bird, but a flying reptile - a pterosaur - called Pteranodon. | „ |
— Allen Johnson, about Pteranodon in Death of a Dynasty: Hell's Aquarium |
Pteranodon (name meaning "Toothless Wing"), also commonly known as Pterodactyl, is a genus of large pterosaur that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America, South America, and Europe. Perhaps the world's most recognizable pterosaur and with a wingspan of seven meters, its most characteristic features is a crest projecting off the back of the skull.
In the Series 2 finale "Death of a Dynasty: To Hell... And Back", a large flock of Pteranodon (including a large female named Terra) was brought to the park from Late Cretaceous Montana, 65 million years ago. While the flock were residing in the Aviary, Terra roams freely due to being tamed by Allen. They manage to lay eggs which eventually hatch into hatchlings.
Facts[]
Era & Discovery[]
Physical Attributes[]
Pteranodon was a very large flying reptile compared to other pterosaurs. On average, they had a wingspan of around 3.7 to 7.6 m (12 to 25 ft) and weighing 50 kg (110 lb).
Pteranodon had a toothless beak. This suggests that Pteranodon lived primarily on fish and other small marine animals. The wings of Pteranodon, though large, were more fragile than bird wings, and much more thin. They were leathery and naked (the body of Pteranodon was possibly covered in fur) and could be easily damaged. A ground Pteranodon was vulnerable both to predators, such as Tyrannosaurus rex and to starvation.
Perhaps the most characteristic feature of Pteranodon the the cranial crest projecting off the back of the skull. Though the function is unknown, the size of the crest differentiated between genders and species of Pteranodon.
Behavior & Traits[]

Pteranodon skeleton
Pteranodon lived in huge numbers and often inhabited coastal areas. Pteranodon were excellent fliers and gliders. Sometimes, Pteranodon possessed a diet of fish and small reptiles, and therefore were normally passive towards humans (except for when a human was threatening their nests), but would swiftly and efficiently pursue fish and reptiles on ground or in the air. It has been suggested that they dived for fish by folding their wings back, similar to a modern-day gannet. Other times, however, Pteranodon was known to be vicious, aggressive, and carnivorous, attacking and subdue large animals, rip their torsos open and devour their internal organs.
Pteranodon was fiercely defensive of their nests and territory, attacking any intruders including humans which entered or even came near their nests. Pteranodon also regarded the color red as a sign of another Pteranodon of the opposite sex, and were therefore attracted to the color upon seeing it so as to mate with what they believed to be the other Pteranodon.
Journal Entry[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The sound effects of Pteranodon are that of eagle, hawk, seagull, and vulture sound effects.