Pteranodon

Pteranodon (do grego: πτερόν (pteron, "alado"; e ἀνόδων (anodon, "sen dentes"; ou "alado sen dentes") é un xénero de pterosauros pterodactiloideos, sendo un dos réptiles alados máis grandes que se coñecen, cunha envergadura de arredor de sete metros. Viviu durante o período xeolóxico do Cretáceo superior e os seus restos fósiles foron atopados en América do Norte, nos actuais territorios de Kansas, Alabama, Nebraska, Wyoming e Dacota do Sur. Descubríronse moitos espécimes fósiles de Pteranodon, con máis de 1 200 espécimes coñecidos pola ciencia, supoñendo máis que calquera outro tipo de pterosauro. Moitos deles estaban moi ben preservados con esqueletos articulados e caveiras case completas. Foi un membro importante da fauna do mar interior occidental.Bennett, S.C. (2000). "Inferring stratigraphic position of fossil vertebrates from the Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas." Current Research in Earth Sciences: Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin, 244(Part 1): 26 pp.

 Características 
Carecía practicamente de cola; a súa cabeza era máis ancha que a das formas xurásicas, cunha prolongación a modo de crista e sen dentes. A súa gran crista na parte posterior da cabeza probablemente axudáballe a equilibrar o peso do pico e da pesca. Pesou ata 20 kg e mediu ata 9 m de envergadura. As súas patas eran tan débiles que se dubida de que puidesen andar polo chan.

 Dieta 
A súa dieta era piscívora (atopouse ósos fosilizados de peixes no estómago dun espécime). Seguramente empregaba o seu longo pico a modo de pa para capturar peces mentres voaba preto da superficie do mar. Unha bolsa baixo o pico permitíalle almacenar peixe, como o pelicano actual.

 Especies 
Describíronse varias especies de Pteranodon, aínda que non todas están ben fundamentadas. As mellor establecidas distínguense pola forma da crista; en Pteranodon longiceps é recta e diríxese cara a atrás, mentres que en Pteranodon sternbergi é máis vertical e profunda.

 Notas 

 Véxase tamén 

 Bibliografía 

 Anonymous. 1872. On two new Ornithosaurians from Kansas. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 3(17):374–375. (Probably by O. C. Marsh)
 Bennett, S. C. 2000. New information on the skeletons of Nyctosaurus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(Supplement to Number 3): 29A. (Abstract)



 Betts, C. W. 1871. The Yale College Expedition of 1870. Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, 43(257):663–671. (Issue of October, 1871)
 Bonner, O. W. 1964. An osteological study of Nyctosaurus and Trinacromerum with a description of a new species of Nyctosaurus. Unpub. Masters Thesis, Fort Hays State University, 63 pages.

 Cope, E. D. 1872. On the geology and paleontology of the Cretaceous strata of Kansas. Annual Report of the U. S. Geological Survey of the Territories 5:318–349 (Report for 1871).


 Eaton, G. F. 1903. The characters of Pteranodon. American Journal of Science, ser. 4, 16(91):82–86, pl. 6-7.
 Eaton, G. F. 1904. The characters of Pteranodon (second paper). American Journal of Science, ser. 4, 17(100):318–320, pl. 19-20.

 Everhart, M. J. 1999. An early occurrence of Pteranodon sternbergi from the Smoky Hill Member (Late Cretaceous) of the Niobrara Chalk in western Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 18(Abstracts):27.
 Everhart, M. J. 2005. Oceans of Kansas – A Natural History of the Western Interior Sea. Indiana University Press, 320 pp.


 Lane, H. H. 1946. A survey of the fossil vertebrates of Kansas, Part III, The Reptiles, Kansas Academy Science, Transactions 49(3):289–332, figs. 1–7.
 Marsh, O. C. 1871. Scientific expedition to the Rocky Mountains. American Journal of Science ser. 3, 1(6):142–143.
 Marsh, O. C. 1871. Notice of some new fossil reptiles from the Cretaceous and Tertiary formations. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 1(6):447–459.
 Marsh, O. C. 1871. Note on a new and gigantic species of Pterodactyle. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 1(6):472.
 Marsh, O. C. 1872. Discovery of additional remains of Pterosauria, with descriptions of two new species. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 3(16):241–248.
 Marsh, O. C. 1881. Note on American pterodactyls. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 21(124):342–343.
 Marsh, O. C. 1882. The wings of Pterodactyles. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 23(136):251–256, pl. III.
 Marsh, O. C. 1884. Principal characters of American Cretaceous pterodactyls. Part I. The skull of Pteranodon. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 27(161):422–426, pl. 15.



 Russell, D. A. 1988. A check list of North American marine cretaceous vertebrates Including fresh water fishes, Occasional Paper of the Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, (4):57.
 Schultze, H.-P., L. Hunt, J. Chorn e A. M. Neuner, 1985. Type and figured specimens of fossil vertebrates in the collection of the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Part II. Fossil Amphibians and Reptiles. Miscellaneous Publications of the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History 77:66 pp.
 Seeley, Harry G. 1871. Additional evidence of the structure of the head in ornithosaurs from the Cambridge Upper Greensand; being a supplement to "The Ornithosauria." The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 4, 7:20–36, pls. 2–3. (Discovery of toothless pterosaurs in England)
 Shor, E. N. 1971. Fossils and flies; The life of a compleat scientist – Samuel Wendell Williston, 1851–1918, University of Oklahoma Press, 285 pp.
 Sternberg, C. H. 1990. The life of a fossil hunter, Indiana University Press, 286 pp. (Orixinalmente publicado en 1909 por Henry Holt e Company)

 Stewart, J. D. 1990. Niobrara Formation vertebrate stratigraphy. pp. 19–30 in Bennett, S. C. (ed.), Niobrara Chalk Excursion Guidebook, The University of Kansas Museum of Natural History and the Kansas Geological Survey.

 Wellnhofer, P. 1991. The illustrated encyclopedia of pterosaurs. Crescent Books, Nova York, 192 pp.

 Williston, S. W. 1892. Kansas pterodactyls. Part I. Kansas University Quarterly 1:1–13, pl. i.
 Williston, S. W. 1893. Kansas pterodactyls. Part II. Kansas University Quarterly 2:79–81, with 1 fig.

 Williston, S. W. 1896. On the skull of Ornithostoma. Kansas University Quarterly 4(4):195–197, with pl. i.
 Williston, S. W. 1897. Restoration of Ornithostoma (Pteranodon)" Kansas University Quarterly 6:35–51, with pl. ii.

 Williston, S. W. 1902. On the skull of Nyctodactylus, an Upper Cretaceous pterodactyl. Journal of Geology 10:520–531, 2 pls.
 Williston, S. W. 1902. Winged reptiles. Pop. Science Monthly 60:314–322, 2 figs.
 Williston, S. W. 1903. On the osteology of Nyctosaurus (Nyctodactylus), with notes on American pterosaurs. Field Mus. Publ. (Geological Ser.) 2(3):125–163, 2 figs., pls. XL-XLIV.
 Williston, S. W. 1904. The fingers of pterodactyls. Geological Magazine, Series 5, 1: 59–60.



 Ligazóns externas 
 Pteranodon – A Photographic Atlas – at Oceans of Kansas Paleontology 
 Documented finding of a young male Pteranodon sternbergi (Oceans of Kansas Paleontology) 

Categoría:Fósiles descritos en 1876