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&nbsp;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.

## 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&nbsp;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)
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* 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.
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* 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).
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* 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.
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* 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.
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* 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.
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* 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)
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* Stewart, J. D. 1990. Niobrara Formation vertebrate stratigraphy. pp.&nbsp;19–30 in Bennett, S. C. (ed.), Niobrara Chalk Excursion Guidebook, The University of Kansas Museum of Natural History and the Kansas Geological Survey.
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* Wellnhofer, P. 1991. The illustrated encyclopedia of pterosaurs. Crescent Books, Nova York, 192 pp.
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* 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.
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* 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.
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* 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.
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### Ligazóns externas 
* *Pteranodon* – A Photographic Atlas – at Oceans of Kansas Paleontology 
* Documented finding of a young male *Pteranodon sternbergi* (Oceans of Kansas Paleontology)