The family Azhdarchidae was erected after the discovery of the type species Azhdarcho lancicollis (1984), a pterosaur that lived in modern-day Kazakstan and Uzbekistan roughly 92 million years ago.

Its name derives from the word azhdar, a famous dragon-like creature from the Persian mythology. The specific epithet lancicollis refers to the Latin words lancea (meaning “lance” or “spear”) and collum (“neck”).

There were two main types of azhdarchid morphology: the “blunt-beaked” forms with shorter and deeper bills, and the “slender-beaked” ones with longer and thinner jaws.

Azhdarchids lived during the Cretaceous, and most of their fossils date from the uppermost stage of this period (100–66 million years ago).

However, there is an isolated vertebra of an earlier age that some scientists attribute to a yet unidentified species of azhdarchid pterosaur. This bone was found in Romania and is dated from about 140 million years ago.

Given that azhdarchids are definitely present at the final stage of the Cretaceous, the discovery from Romania could potentially give the group a stratigraphic record that spans 80 million years.

This is longer than any other pterosaur family!

The particular group of pterosaurs was globally widespread. Paleontologists have so far discovered azhdarchid remains in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The global distribution of azhdarchids undoubtedly demonstrates their evolutionary success.

Size

Some azhdarchid species, like Arambourgiania, Hatzegopteryx, and Quetzalcoatlus, achieved wingspans between 10 and 12 meters (33–39 ft), making them the largest flying creatures to have ever existed.

A recently discovered azhdarchid from Transylvania may have been even larger. Paleontologists nicknamed this yet unnamed specimen “Dracula”, and they estimate it may have had a wingspan of 12–20m (39–66 ft)!

Not every azhdarchid was a giant, though. Genera like Eurazhdarcho and Bogolubovia were smaller, achieving modest wingspans of about three and four meters (9.8–13 feet).

. The skulls of the largest azhdarchids had an estimated length of 3 meters (9.8 ft), making them some of the largest skulls among non-marine animals.

. A 2021 study found the vertebrae in azhdarchid necks were arranged like spokes of a bicycle wheel. This adaptation enabled them to carry large prey while flying without breaking their elongated necks.

. The gigantic Hatzegopteryx from Romania was probably the apex predator in the Hațeg Island ecosystem, a large offshore island that existed during the Late Cretaceous period in the European archipelago. The giant azhdarchid was significantly larger than any other terrestrial carnivore of the region, and thanks to its robust anatomy it could have been adapted to feed on the dwarf dinosaur species that inhabited the island during this time.

Giants of the Ancient Skies - Azhdarchids (Part 1) :kitty-cat:

Were These Animals Too Big to Fly? - Azhdarchids (Part 2) :kitty-cri:

Giant Prehistoric Death Storks - Azhdarchids (Part 3) :biblically-accurate-kitty:

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    • Parzivus [any]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Can't relate, born on 9/11 and own that shit :gigachad:
      Not born in 2001 though unfortunately

    • Ho_Chi_Chungus [she/her]
      ·
      2 years ago

      I wouldn't say I hate it but I absolutely loathe the pressure to come up with anything I actually want out of the arbitrary day on the calendar.

      I don't know, fuckin... go to that somewhat pricier restaurant that I don't usually go to? Ask for some socks as a present? What I really want for my birthday is for my friends and family to stop asking what I want

      • GalaxyBrain [they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Go to pricier restaurant you dont usually go to is actually a great answer.

      • Sen_Jen [they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        I really hate having to come up with gift ideas for holidays, for myself and other people. Gifts don't mean that much when they're only given out obligation, and I barely know what my sister likes so anything I get her is very shallow. I also never know what I want anymore. I used to ask for video game stuff like controllers or consoles or whatever, but now I have all that and I don't need any more so I just take whatever is given to me

        • forcequit [she/her]
          ·
          2 years ago

          Maybe reconsider the amount of detail in this comment comrade

          Sorry you're going through the ringer but knowing your profession, DOB and familial/health history could ah be bad

        • 1000mH [she/her, they/them]
          ·
          2 years ago

          im so sorry you have to go through that, i cant even imagine what it will feel like for my parents to near the end of their lives.

          i hope you find somewhere you can cultivate some joy and if you do make a post i'll be reading it

            • 1000mH [she/her, they/them]
              ·
              2 years ago

              saying fuck the city and heading out away from all the people sounds nice as hell

              hey just today i realized i gained a lot of the weight i had previously worked so hard to get off
              do you want to keep each other accountable?

              (also i know its not my place but i feel like if you've spent all that time comparing yourself to your dad then no matter what reflection you see its affected by the medium from which you're looking through)

    • Sandinband
      ·
      2 years ago

      deleted by creator

    • Ligma_Male [comrade/them]
      ·
      2 years ago

      every year marked off is another year of things getting worse with no social, romantic, nor economic prospects and another year of suffering for no reason when i could've offed myself 20 years ago instead.