Dinosaurs ruled the earth during the Age of Reptiles. But they weren’t the only creatures around. Dinosaur hunters have also found fossils of many strange flying and swimming reptiles that lived at the same time.
These flying reptiles are called pterosaurs (TEH-ruh-soars). Pterosaur is Greek for “winged lizard.”
The Department of Library Services, American Museum of Natural History: Neg. No. 39129 Photo. E. M. Fulda
Pterosaurs had wings made of skin and bone. Each wing was attached to a very long “finger.” The finger stretched all the way from the pterosaur’s “hand” to the tip of its wing. Sometimes the finger was more than ten feet long!
Paleontologists think most pterosaurs “flew” by stretching out their wings and floating on the wind.
There were also several types of swimming reptiles during the Age of Dinosaurs.
Ichthyosaurs (ICK-thee-uh-soars) had long beaks and looked like big-eyed dolphins.
Mosasaurs (MOZE-ah-soars) looked like giant swimming lizards with long toes and webbed feet.
Plesiosaurs (PLEE-zee-uh-soars) did not look like anything on earth today.
Some plesiosaurs had short necks and long jaws, like crocodiles. Others had long necks and small heads, like the giant sauropod dinosaurs.
The Department of Library Services, American Museum of Natural History: Neg. No. 35605 Photo. Anderson
Turn the page to see some of our favorite flying creatures and sea monsters in action!
Pteranodon
(teh-RAN-uh-don)
This name means “toothless flier.”
Pteranodon had a long beak and a long, bony crest on the back of its head. It probably needed the crest to help balance its beak when it was swooping down to catch fish.
(KET-sal-ko-AHT-lus)
This name means “plumed serpent.”
Quetzalcoatlus was the largest creature that has ever flown. Each of its wings was about 20 feet long—as big as a small airplane’s!
Ophthalmosaurus
(ahf-THAL-muh-SOAR-us)
This name means “eye lizard”
Ophthalmosaurus was an ichthyosaur with very large eyes. Paleontologists think its big eyes helped it see in dark ocean water.
(ee-LAZ-muh-SOAR-us)
This name means “plated lizard.”
Elasmosaurus was a plesiosaur. Elasmo-saurus’s neck made up more than half the length of its entire body.
Paleontologists say Elasmosaurus may have hunted for food by swimming around with its neck sticking out of the water, looking for fish near the surface.
