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Quetzalcoatline
Azhdarchidae (from the Persian word , , a dragon-like creature in Persian mythology) is a family of pterosaurs known primarily from the Late Cretaceous Period, though an isolated vertebra apparently from an azhdarchid is known from the Early Cretaceous as well (late Berriasian age, about 140 million years ago). Azhdarchids include some of the largest flying animals discovered, but smaller cat-size members have also been found. Originally considered a sub-family of Pteranodontidae, Nesov (1984) named the Azhdarchinae to include the pterosaurs ''Azhdarcho'', ''Quetzalcoatlus'', and ''Titanopteryx'' (now known as ''Arambourgiania''). They were among the last known surviving members of the pterosaurs, and were a rather successful group with a worldwide distribution. Previously it was thought that by the end of the Cretaceous, most pterosaur families except for the Azhdarchidae disappeared from the fossil record, but recent studies indicate a wealth of pterosaurian fauna, including pter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quetzalcoatlus
''Quetzalcoatlus'' () is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous in North America. The Type (biology), type specimen, recovered in 1971 from the Javelina Formation of Texas, United States, consists of several wing fragments and was species description, described as ''Quetzalcoatlus northropi'' in 1975 by Douglas A. Lawson, Douglas Lawson. The Generic name (biology), first part of the name refers to the Aztec serpent god of the sky, Quetzalcōātl, while the specific name, second part honors Jack Northrop, designer of a flying wing, tailless fixed-wing aircraft. The remains of a second species were found between 1972 and 1974, also by Lawson, around from the ''Q. northropi'' locality. In 2021, these remains were assigned to the name ''Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni'' by Brian Andres and (posthumously) Wann Langston Jr., Wann Langston Jr, as part of a series of publications on the genus. ''Quetzalcoatlus northropi'' has gained fame a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cryodrakon
''Cryodrakon'' is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the late Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Canada, around 76.7 and 74.3 million years ago. Starting in 1972, fossil remains of large azhdarchid pterosaurs have been reported from Alberta. Paleontologists assigned them to the genus ''Quetzalcoatlus'', given that it was the only known azhdarchid from North America back then and because they had limited information about its actual remains, so they simply could not deduce anything different. In 1992, a partial pterosaur skeleton was uncovered in the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta. It was partially described in 1995 by paleontologist Philip J. Currie and colleagues, with a subsequent and more complete description in 2005. But it was not until 2019 that it received a new genus and type species, ''Cryodrakon boreas'', named and described by paleontologists David Hone, Michael Habib, and François Therrien. The partial skeleton was made the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quetzalcoatlus Northropi
''Quetzalcoatlus'' () is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous in North America. The Type (biology), type specimen, recovered in 1971 from the Javelina Formation of Texas, United States, consists of several wing fragments and was species description, described as ''Quetzalcoatlus northropi'' in 1975 by Douglas A. Lawson, Douglas Lawson. The Generic name (biology), first part of the name refers to the Aztec serpent god of the sky, Quetzalcōātl, while the specific name, second part honors Jack Northrop, designer of a flying wing, tailless fixed-wing aircraft. The remains of a second species were found between 1972 and 1974, also by Lawson, around from the ''Q. northropi'' locality. In 2021, these remains were assigned to the name ''Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni'' by Brian Andres and (posthumously) Wann Langston Jr., Wann Langston Jr, as part of a series of publications on the genus. ''Quetzalcoatlus northropi'' has gained fame a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thanatosdrakon
''Thanatosdrakon'' is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Coniacian and Santonian ages of the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Argentina, around 89.6 and 86.3 million years ago. Its remains were found in the Plottier Formation of the Neuquén Basin in the Mendoza Province. The genus only consists of the type species, ''Thanatosdrakon amaru'', named and described by paleontologists Leonardo Ortiz David, Bernardo González Riga, and Alexander Kellner. Its generic name means "dragon of death" in Greek, while its specific name is a Quechuan word meaning "flying serpent" and refers to the Incan deity Amaru. ''Thanatosdrakon'' is known from two specimens, the holotype, consisting of a partial postcranial skeleton, and the paratype, consisting of a left humerus. The holotype includes material that is previously undescribed in giant azhdarchid pterosaurs. ''Thanatosdrakon'' was a giant pterosaur. The holotype specimen is estimated to have had a wingspan of aroun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Infernodrakon
''Infernodrakon'' (meaning "dragon from hell") is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of Montana, United States. The genus contains a Monotypic taxon, single species, ''I. hastacollis'', known from a single neck vertebra. Based on comparisons with related azhdarchids, it probably had a wingspan of about . Discovery and naming In 2002, a putative immature ''Tyrannosaurus'' specimen (BMR P2002.4.1, known as "Specimens of Tyrannosaurus#"Jane": BMRP 2002.4.1, Jane") was recovered from strata belonging to the Maastrichtian-age Hell Creek Formation in Carter County, Montana, Carter County, Montana, United States. Alongside that specimen was the fifth Cervical vertebrae, cervical (neck) vertebra of an azhdarchid pterosaur. Catalogued as BMR P2002.2, it was originally assigned to cf. ''Quetzalcoatlus'' sp. In 2014, Alexander Averianov identified the specimen as indeterminate azhdarchid. In 2021, Brian Andres and Wann Langston Jr. classified BM ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wellnhopterus
''Wellnhopterus'' is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period in what us now Texas, United States. Its fossil remains were discovered in the Javelina Formation at Big Bend National Park, located in Brewster County, Texas. The fossils consist of a set of upper and lower jaws, several cervical vertebra, cervical (neck) vertebrae, and a fragmentary long bone. Originally referred to an indeterminate species of ''Quetzalcoatlus'', these remains would receive various interpretations ranging from a tapejarid to an azhdarchid identity. It was not until December 2021 that they were given a new genus and type species, ''Wellnhopterus brevirostris'', named and described by paleontologists Brian Andres and, posthumously, Wann Langston Jr.. Its generic name means "Peter Wellnhofer, Wellnhofer's wing", named in honor of paleontologist Peter Wellnhofer, while its specific name (zoology), specific name means "short-beaked", attributing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhejiangopterus
''Zhejiangopterus'' is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur known from one species, which lived in China during the late Cretaceous Period. The genus was named in 1994 by Chinese paleontologists Cai Zhengquan and Wei Feng. The type species is ''Zhejiangopterus linhaiensis''. The genus name refers to Zhejiang Province and a Latinized Greek ''pteron'', "wing". The specific name refers to the city of Linhai. Discovery In April 1986 a young chalkstone quarry worker named Xu Chengfa, found a large fossil near the village of Aolicun in Linhai. Xu by letter informed the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History at Hangzhou, and Zhang Minghua of the museum understood the remains were those of an unknown pterosaur from it. Therefore, a team consisting of the describers and Wu Weitang were sent to investigate. They secured the fossil, instructing the local population to be alert for possible further finds. Xu himself managed to find three more specimens before being killed in an accident in 1988; ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Persian Language
Persian ( ), also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Farsi (, Fārsī ), is a Western Iranian languages, Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken and used officially within Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan in three mutual intelligibility, mutually intelligible standard language, standard varieties, respectively Iranian Persian (officially known as ''Persian''), Dari, Dari Persian (officially known as ''Dari'' since 1964), and Tajik language, Tajiki Persian (officially known as ''Tajik'' since 1999).Siddikzoda, S. "Tajik Language: Farsi or not Farsi?" in ''Media Insight Central Asia #27'', August 2002. It is also spoken natively in the Tajik variety by a significant population within Uzbekistan, as well as within other regions with a Persianate society, Persianate history in the cultural sphere o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ninth and longest geological period of the entire Phanerozoic. The name is derived from the Latin , 'chalk', which is abundant in the latter half of the period. It is usually abbreviated K, for its German translation . The Cretaceous was a period with a relatively warm climate, resulting in high Sea level#Local and eustatic, eustatic sea levels that created numerous shallow Inland sea (geology), inland seas. These oceans and seas were populated with now-extinct marine reptiles, ammonites, and rudists, while dinosaurs continued to dominate on land. The world was largely ice-free, although there is some evidence of brief periods of glaciation during the cooler first half, and forests extended to the poles. Many of the dominant taxonomic gr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Azhdaha
Azhdaha, Azhdahak, Ezhdeha () or Azhdar (اژدر) is a mythical creature in Iranian mythology, roughly equivalent to the dragon. They are gigantic snake-like creatures living in the air, in the sea, or on the earth. ''Sad dar-e nathr'' and ''sad dar-e Bondahesh'', ''Shahnameh'' and '' Garshaspnameh'' are among the principal texts that contain information about the creature. In Persian literature, Azhdahas are depicted as a giant snake or lizard with wings. According to tradition, they have a huge body, a fierce face, their mouths are wide with many teeth, and their eyes are bright. Azhdahās are actually normal snakes, according to ''Ajāyeb ul-Makhlooghāt'', a book by Mohammad b. Mahmoud b. Ahmad-e Tusi (wrote in 1160 AD), "when a snake lives 100 years and its length becomes 30 Gazes (a traditional measurement unit approximate to a meter), it is called an azhdahā". He also wrote that "because of their harassment to other creatures, God eventually will throw them into the sea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phosphatodraco
''Phosphatodraco'' is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous of what is now Morocco. In 2000, a pterosaur specimen consisting of five Cervical vertebrae, cervical (neck) vertebrae was discovered in the Ouled Abdoun Phosphatic Basin. The specimen was made the holotype of the new genus and species ''Phosphatodraco mauritanicus'' in 2003; the genus name means "dragon from the phosphates", and the Specific name (zoology), specific name refers to the region of Mauretania. ''Phosphatodraco'' was the first Late Cretaceous pterosaur known from North Africa, and the second pterosaur genus described from Morocco. It is one of the only known azhdarchids preserving a relatively complete neck, and was one of the last known pterosaurs. Additional cervical vertebrae have since been assigned to the genus, and it has been suggested that fossils of the pterosaur ''Tethydraco'' represent wing elements of ''Phosphatodraco''. Due to the fragmentary nature of the holoty ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Family (biology)
Family (, : ) is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks between the ranks of family and genus. The official family names are Latin in origin; however, popular names are often used: for example, walnut trees and hickory trees belong to the family Juglandaceae, but that family is commonly referred to as the "walnut family". The delineation of what constitutes a family—or whether a described family should be acknowledged—is established and decided upon by active taxonomists. There are not strict regulations for outlining or acknowledging a family, yet in the realm of plants, these classifications often rely on both the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of plant species. Taxonomists frequently hold varying perspectives on these descriptions, leading to a lack of widespread consensus within the scientific community ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
