A Flying Predator The Size of a Plane Could Have Been The Largest of Its Kind

What's the biggest bird you can think of? An ostrich, or perhaps an albatross.

Here's an extinct bird which dwarfs these other imposters to the throne.

www.sciencealert.com...

The remains of an ancient flying predator that ruled the skies some 70 million years ago have been discovered in Mongolia, and researchers say the species likely ranked among the largest of its kind.

The fossil discovered belongs to a kind of pterosaur – a group of flying reptiles that lived around the same time as dinosaurs. These animals were the first vertebrates known to evolve the power of flight, and are thought to be the largest flying animals ever seen on Earth.

While it's hard to estimate the size of an extinct pterosaur solely from chunks of neck, the team thinks its footprint would have been comparable to the two largest species we know about: Quetzalcoatlus and Hatzegopteryx, which had wingspans up to approximately 11 metres (36 feet).

That puts them, and potentially our Mongolian John Doe, on a par with a small plane – which, frankly, would have been terrifying if you were a small vertebrate being stalked and swooped by these things 70 million years ago.

Perhaps even larger than the fabled thunderbird.

Imagine being in a plane and seeing one of these suckers not too far away.

a reply to: bgerbger

South American Condor's are fairly substantial for a living species.

Just recently I could have sworn I saw a Pterodactyl pass overhead.

No, I was sober ...

a reply to: bgerbger

How does that remain a secret In the age of cell phone cameras???

a reply to: JoshuaCox

Because it's extinct and no longer exists.

While it's hard to estimate the size of an extinct pterosaur solely from chunks of neck...

Or whether it had feathers, lol.

But lets call it a birdosaur anyway.

originally posted by: intrptr

While it's hard to estimate the size of an extinct pterosaur solely from chunks of neck...

Or whether it had feathers, lol.

But lets call it a birdosaur anyway.

That's why I have issues with quite a bit of paleontology. A few bones here, a few there. Then, extrapolation by people that still probably make toy dinosaurs fight on their desks when no one is looking.
And yes, I do know a few paleontologists. And yes, They do have toy dinosaurs...

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: bgerbger

How does that remain a secret In the age of cell phone cameras???

A nocturnal variety would be hard to capture a pic of i suppose. One would think a Deer/wildlife camera wouldn't miss one if it went right by.

a reply to: bgerbger

I thought of Quetzalcoatlus, and if you aren't not familiar with it, picture a giraffe with wings the size of a WWII fighter plane, that's how big they were.

Ross Geller would be quivering with excitement. Paleontology is not just about digging up bones, using just a few bones the T-researchers can extrapolate and know the approximate size and mass of the creature and even the mandible (AKA the jawbone) without teeth can tell whether the fossilized creature was carnivorous, herbivorous or ovniravorous (AKA egg eaters.)

And for the record I'd rather come face to face with a Thunderbird then a terror bird, imagine Big Bird on steroids with a thirst for blood. No thanks, I choose life.

a reply to: bgerbger

These animals were the first vertebrates known to evolve the power of flight

Now that would be an interesting bio-engineering process, the hows & whys of what worked for the species.

I'd bet that these guys started as a marine species with limited flight, like these little guys.


K~

originally posted by: bgerbger

That puts them, and potentially our Mongolian John Doe, on a par with a small plane – which, frankly, would have been terrifying if you were a small vertebrate being stalked and swooped by these things 70 million years ago.

My money would be on them being scavengers, not swooping and stalking predators.

Big flying dinosaurs are awesome.

a reply to: SlapMonkey

Probably skimmers. Something that size would want to stay airborne as long as possible...it couldn't have been easy to get aloft at that size...and on the ground, pretty much easy meat.

originally posted by: the owlbear

originally posted by: intrptr

While it's hard to estimate the size of an extinct pterosaur solely from chunks of neck...

Or whether it had feathers, lol.

But lets call it a birdosaur anyway.

That's why I have issues with quite a bit of paleontology. A few bones here, a few there. Then, extrapolation by people that still probably make toy dinosaurs fight on their desks when no one is looking.
And yes, I do know a few paleontologists. And yes, They do have toy dinosaurs...

I did too as a kid. One fish-lizard-saurus was called Ichthyosaur, its toy model was a nessie thingy: long neck, small head and fins with a tail... then they discover it was really a porpoise.

So the record reflects the ichthyosaur is a porpoise, now...

Getting harder to find the toy model I remember, but I did...

The "Ichthyosaur" is the grey one, just below the white dinosaur in the center:

a reply to: seagull

I envision giant dinosaur hang-gliders, running down a hill until they produce enough lift.

Or just jumping off of a cliff, like those wing-suit guys.

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: the owlbear

originally posted by: intrptr

While it's hard to estimate the size of an extinct pterosaur solely from chunks of neck...

Or whether it had feathers, lol.

But lets call it a birdosaur anyway.

That's why I have issues with quite a bit of paleontology. A few bones here, a few there. Then, extrapolation by people that still probably make toy dinosaurs fight on their desks when no one is looking.
And yes, I do know a few paleontologists. And yes, They do have toy dinosaurs...

I did too as a kid. One fish-lizard-saurus was called Ichthyosaur, its toy model was a nessie thingy: long neck, small head and fins with a tail... then they discover it was really a porpoise.

So the record reflects the ichthyosaur is a porpoise, now...

Getting harder to find the toy model I remember, but I did...

The "Ichthyosaur" is the grey one, just below the white dinosaur in the center:

I especially enjoy the ankylosaurus (I think that's the name). The one with the turtle shell and the morning star tail it looks like the Ichthyosaur is trying to bite it.

a reply to: bgerbger

Like Toruk Makto, Avatar??

Big Fella

you guys should look up at artist drawings of them sure the wings were log but so skinny .
and they weighed no more then 50 or 60 pounds tops .
Just really long tin wings .

They were also most likely fishers and scoped fish on the fly .
Being on flat ground would have been a big problem .
Ocean cliff dewlers .

But all this you could ahve learned 30 years agaio .
36 feet is impressive wing span but once you know what the whole animal looked like and weighed its not such a big deal .
ps this one they just say is the longest wing span a few inches one way or the other no big deal just a way to get air time .

a reply to: intrptr

I think you will find the grey dino you identified is a "Plesiosaur"....a large finned swimming saurus.

The Icky looked more like a dolphin, but was a reptile.

Plesiosars were everywhere in the oceans of the times, it seems.

Perhaps this latest find is of "The Claw" !!!!

a reply to: SlapMonkey

Me, too.

I love dinosaurs!! Triceratops FTW!

a reply to: bgerbger

What's the biggest bird you can think of?

Not including an ostrich... this guy is pretty beastly

seems smart too

a reply to: gort51

I think you will find the grey dino you identified is a "Plesiosaur"....a large finned swimming saurus.

Nuh-uh. Thats kid talk. Plesiosaur was much bigger.

They were fish, not fish lizards (long neck and tail). I remember how hard it was to pronounce my favorite , I kept getting it wrong, saying "Icky" saur instead. But then they have found fifty foot porpoises along wth fifty foot crocodiles and fifty foot sharks.