Dinoria
Tupandactylus — illustrationVery Hard

Tupandactylus

Tupandactylus imperator

too-pan-DAK-tih-lus· “Tupã finger

🪽 Pterosaur🕰️ Cretaceous🍽️ omnivore🦴 Tapejaridae
4 m
Length
1 m
Height
25 kg
Weight

A crested pterosaur from Cretaceous Brazil famous for its enormous head crest — a bony frame that likely supported a huge sail of skin, probably for display. A pterosaur, not a dinosaur.

When
Early Cretaceous, ~112 million years ago
Found in
Brazil
Discovered
Alexander Kellner, 1997

Did you know?

  • Sported one of the largest head crests of any pterosaur.
  • The bony crest likely framed a big sail of skin for display.
  • Named after Tupã, a thunder god of Tupi mythology.

Artwork: Dmitry Bogdanov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.