Meet The Quetzalcoatlus, The Giraffe-Sized Pterosaur That Was The Largest Flying Dinosaur To Ever Live

The Quetzalcoatlus has baffled experts for decades. Part of the ancient pterosaur group of flying reptiles, its fossilized remains were first discovered in the 1970s and revealed a staggering wingspan of 40 feet. Although it was evidently the largest flying dinosaur that ever lived, exactly how it managed to fly remained a mystery — until now.

However, with its paper-thin bones, only a few dozen fossils stood the test of time. With each one safely kept at the University of Texas at Austin, researchers successfully renewed their efforts to find out how it flew.

Older theories indicated the colossal creature rocked forward like a bat to take off or built up speed by running like an albatross. However, a new study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology found that it leapt eight feet in the air to flap its wings, instead — shedding new light on an ancient enigma.

The Discovery Of Quetzalcoatlus, The Largest Flying Dinosaur Of All Time
Formally known as Quetzalcoatlus northropi, the winged creature is a member of the Azhdarchidae family of toothless pterosaurs with elongated necks. And although it stalked the continent during the Late Cretaceous period about 70 million years ago, its fossils were only first discovered in 1971.