There were two major types of pterosaurs. Their wings were formed by a membrane of skin, muscle, and other tissues stretching from the ankles to a dramatically lengthened fourth finger. Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight.
They existed during most of the Mesozoic: from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous (228 to 66 million years ago ). Pterosaurs ( / ˈ t ɛr ə s ɔːr, ˈ t ɛr oʊ-/ from Greek pteron and sauros, meaning 'wing lizard') were flying reptiles of the extinct clade or order Pterosauria. Colored species or genera names correspond to their taxonomic group. Replica of Geosternbergia sternbergi skeletons, female (left) and male (right)ĭistribution of pterosaur fossil locations.
