All About the Quetzalcoatlus: The Feathered Serpent God

Photo: Warpaintcobra via Getty Images

The Quetzalcoatlus was a giant pterosaur that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous period, approximately 65 million years ago.

The largest known specimen had a wingspan of nearly 10 meters (33 feet), making it one of the largest flying animals. 

Several Quetzalcoatlus fossils had been discovered in various places, including Texas, Utah, and Alberta.

According to the most accepted theory, an asteroid caused the Quetzalcoatlus's extinction.

However, some scientists believe that the Quetzalcoatlus may have survived the mass extinction and continued to live in isolated populations until relatively recently.

The Quetzalcoatlus is a fantastic creature, and its story continues to fascinate biologists and laypeople alike.

This blog post will look at what we know about this incredible animal and some theories surrounding its extinction.

Description and Appearance

Photo: Kitti Kahotong via Getty Images

Quetzalcoatlus was a pterosaur, a flying reptile that lived around 70-65 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period.

It was one of the largest known animals to ever take to the skies, with a wingspan of up to 36 feet (11 meters). Its lightweight skeleton and powerful legs allowed it to take off the ground and soar into the air with ease.

It was a member of the pterosaur family and had a long, narrow beak and teeth that were sharp and well-suited for catching prey.

Its body was relatively slender, and its wings were long and thin. The tail was also long and narrow and ended in a triangle-shaped flap that may have been used for steering.

Quetzalcoatlus was covered in short, fuzz-like feathers, which would have given it a fuzzy appearance.

The exact colours of Quetzalcoatlus are not known, but its feathers were likely some combination of brown, gray, and white. This magnificent creature was indeed a sight to behold.

The Quetzalcoatlus is named after the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, often depicted as a feathered serpent.

Diet

Though its exact diet is unknown, it is thought to have been a scavenger that fed on the remains of dead animals.

Likely, the Quetzalcoatlus did not hunt live prey, as it lacked the powerful claws and teeth of other carnivorous dinosaurs.

Instead, it probably fed on carrion, using its long beak to tear flesh from bone.

Though it was not a particularly fast or agile flyer, it was able to stay aloft for long periods, making it an efficient scavenger.

Thanks to its unique anatomy, the Quetzalcoatlus was able to fill an ecological niche that no other animal has been able to occupy since its extinction.

Reproduction

The Quetzalcoatlus was a sexually dimorphic species, meaning that males and females had different physical characteristics.

The most notable difference was the size, with males reaching up to 10 meters (33 feet) in wingspan while females only grew to about 7 meters (23 feet).

Females were also more slender than males, with smaller skulls and less robust bones.

It is thought that Quetzalcoatlus reproduced via egg-laying, as no nests or eggs have been found in association with their fossils.

However, it is possible that they built nests out of sticks or leaves, which would have decayed long ago.

The eggs were likely small and delicate, as the Quetzalcoatlus had a light skeleton and thin bones.

The young would have been born fully-fledged and able to fly soon after hatching.

Though we don't know much about their reproductive habits, it's clear that the Quetzalcoatlus was a successful species that could adapt to changing environments and survive for millions of years.

Distribution

Quetzalcoatlus lived in what is now North America, specifically in what was once the state of Texas.

At the time, this area was a humid, subtropical region with plenty of foliage and food.

Many of its fossils have been discovered near bodies of water, suggesting that Quetzalcoatlus preferred living close to water.

This would have given them a ready supply of food and provided them with a place to take off and land.

As the climate began to cool at the end of the Cretaceous period, Quetzalcoatlus may have migrated to warmer regions in search of food.

Discovery

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Quetzalcoatlus was first discovered in 1971 by Douglas A. Lawson, an amateur fossil hunter who found its remains in Big Bend National Park in Texas.

Lawson initially thought that the fossils belonged to a new species of the pterodactyl, but further study revealed that they were actually from a previously unknown genus of pterosaur.

The first Quetzalcoatlus fossils were described in 1975 by paleontologist James F. Wellnhofer, named Quetzalcoatlus northropi.

Since then, many other Quetzalcoatlus fossils have been found all over North America, giving us a better understanding of this fantastic creature.

The Quetzalcoatlus went extinct around 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period.

This was the same time the dinosaurs went extinct, leading many scientists to believe that the Quetzalcoatlus was killed off by the same asteroid that caused the dinosaurs' demise.

However, there is no direct evidence to support this theory, and other scientists believe that the Quetzalcoatlus may have survived the asteroid impact and gone extinct for different reasons.

For example, some scientists believe that changing climates or competition from other animals may have led to the Quetzalcoatlus' extinction.

Whatever the cause, the Quetzalcoatlus is now extinct and will never take to the skies again.

Other Interesting Facts

1. Quetzalcoatlus is a pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous period of North America. It was one of the largest known flying animals of all time.
2. Quetzalcoatlus comes from the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, often depicted as a feathered serpent.
3. Quetzalcoatlus was a member of the Azhdarchidae, a group of pterosaurs with long necks and toothless beaks well-suited for scavenging.
4. Quetzalcoatlus had a wingspan of up to 36 feet (11 meters), making it one of the largest known flying animals.
5. Quetzalcoatlus is thought to have been a scavenger, feeding on the carcasses of dead dinosaurs and other animals.
6. Quetzalcoatlus fossils have been found in North America, Europe, and Asia.
7. Quetzalcoatlus was featured in Jurassic Park III's film and the BBC documentary walking with Dinosaurs.
8. Quetzalcoatlus is the state fossil of Texas.
9. A Quetzalcoatlus specimen is displayed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
10. The first Quetzalcoatlus fossil was discovered in Texas in 1971.

Final Thoughts

The Quetzalcoatlus was a fantastic creature that lived during the Late Cretaceous period.

This pterosaur was one of the largest flying animals named after the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl.

Quetzalcoatlus fossils have been found in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Cheers!

~GB