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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