The History of The Pterosaur: When Flying Creatures Ruled The World | Dinosaur Documentary

Dinosaurs were not, by any means, the only ruling group of reptiles extant throughout the Mesozoic era. High above the oceanic skies, deep within the forests, across the river and lake systems and the high cliffs and canyons of the planet throughout this time, flew the pterosaurs, occupying the skies where birds would one day soar. You will already be familiar with the iconic image of the long-crested pterosaur Pteranodon soaring across the waves, snatching up an unfortunate fish in its long, stork-like beak, but there is a lot more to it than this. Modern science has proved to us that pterosaurs came in all shapes and sizes, for there were an incredible number of ecological niches for them to exploit, as some of the only (and most certainly amongst the largest) flying vertebrates of their time.

Throughout their long time on this planet, the pterosaurs ranged everywhere from tiny, fluttering, bat-like creatures known as Anurognathids, to the colossal Azhdarchids - the largest flying creatures that have ever lived. Famous faces such as Pterodactylus, Dimorphodon and Rhamphorynchus dominated the cliffsides and coastal waters of the Jurassic, while lesser-known oddities such as Leptostomia, Afrotapejara and Arambourgiania represented some of the most outlandish creatures ever to breathe.

In this documentary, we will be taking an in-depth look at some of these amazing creatures, from the largest to the smallest, the strangest to the most iconic, the earliest to the latest. We will be looking into what these creatures looked like, how they lived their lives, and how we know all this. Join us, for a journey into the Mesozoic, to take a look at the mystery and wonder of the Pterosaurs.

0:00 Introduction
2:27 What Is A Pterosaur?
6:11 Triassic Pterosaurs
13:17 Jurassic Pterosaurs
18:58 Cretaceous Pterosaurs
33:11 Outro

Our other channels 👇

🌎 Top5s: LISTS & HORROR
   / @top5s  

🔎 ColdCaseDetective: TRUE CRIME
   / @coldcasedetective  

🪖 WarsofTheWorld: MILITARY HISTORY
   / @warsoftheworld1945  

👽 DestinationDeclassified: ALIENS & UFOs
   / @destinationdeclassified  

🪐 AccessAstronomy: SPACE & ASTRONOMY
   / @accessastronomy  

⚔️ MedievalMadness: MEDIEVAL HISTORY
   / @medievalmadnesss  

Writing & Research by: Thomas McGlynn

Music by CO.AG and from Storyblocks:    / @co.agmusic  


Thanks for watching.


DISCLAIMER: All materials in these videos are used for entertainment purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. No copyright infringement is intended. If you are, or represent the copyright owner of materials used in this video, and have an issue with the use of said material, PLEASE email us before putting in a claim and we can resolve the issue immediately. We can be reach on this email: [email protected]

Copyright © 2022 Top5s All rights reserved.