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Quetzalcoatlus

Dinosaur profile

Quetzalcoatlus

CarnivoreLate CretaceousPterosaur

Pronunciation

Kwet-zal-co-at-las

Meaning

From Quetzalcoatl

Type

Pterosaur

Length

10-11 meter wingspan

Period

Late Cretaceous

Years

68-66 million years ago

Location

USA

Diet

Carnivore

About Quetzalcoatlus

Quetzalcoatlus is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 70-65 million years ago. It is known from a single species, Quetzalcoatlus northropi, which is named after the Aztec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatlus is known for being one of the largest pterosaurs to have ever lived, with an estimated wingspan of up to 10-11 meters. It had a long, toothless beak, a small head, and a long, slender neck. Its wings were made up of a thin membrane of skin stretched between the long bones of its fingers and its elongated fourth toes. Quetzalcoatlus was likely a carnivore, feeding on small animals, including lizards, mammals, and perhaps even baby dinosaurs. It probably hunted by using its long beak to snatch prey from the ground or from the water. It is thought to have been a highly efficient flyer, using thermals and updrafts to soar and glide through the air.

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