- Pterodaustro
Taxobox
name = "Pterodaustro"
fossil_range = Fossil range|140Early Cretaceous
image_width = 250px
image_caption = life restoration of "Pterodaustro guinazui"
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo =Pterosauria
subordo =Pterodactyloidea
familia =Ctenochasmatidae
genus = "Pterodaustro"
genus_authority = Bonaparte, 1969
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "P. guinazui" (type)
* "P. sp.""Pterodaustro" was a
Cretaceous pterosaur fromSouth America , living 140 million years ago. "Pterodaustro" had awingspan of 133centimeter s (52 in), and possessed about 1,000 tall, narrowbristle liketeeth , which presumably were used in filter-feeding, much like modernflamingo s.cite book |last=Wellnhofer |first=Peter |authorlink=Peter Wellnhofer |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs |origyear=1991 |year=1996 |publisher=Barnes and Noble Books |location=New York |isbn=0-7607-0154-7 |pages=132 ] It had many bristle-like structures on its jaw that might have been used to straincrustaceans ,plankton ,algae , and other small creatures from the water. It probably either waded in shallow water like flamingos, straining food, or possibly skim over the water while flying, using its beak like a basket. Once it caught its food, "Pterodaustro" probably mashed it with its small globular teeth from its upper jaw. Likeflamingo s, this pterosaur's diet may have resulted in apink hue. Thus, it is often dubbed the "flamingo pterosaur".It was discovered in 1970 by
José Bonaparte in the Lagarcito Formation, situated in theSan Luis Province ofPatagonia ,Argentina . It has also been found inChile .References
* "Fantastic Facts About Dinosaurs" (ISBN 0-7525-3166-2)
* [http://www.fernbank.edu/museum/giants/Pterodaustro.html Giants of the Mesozoic: Pterodaustro]
* "The Enclycopedia of Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Creatures"
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.