Giant Flying Reptile Of The North – Cryodrakon Boreas Was One Of The Largest Ever Flying Animals

Don Wood – MessageToEagle.com – Cryodrakon boreas is a newly identified species of pterosaur. This giant flying reptile with a wingspan of up to 10 meters, making it one the largest ever flying animals ever discovered.

Artistic impression of Cryodrakon boreas. Credit: David Maas

It lived during the Cretaceous period around 77 million years ago. Its remains were discovered 30 years ago in Alberta, Canada, but paleontologists had assumed they belonged to an already known species of pterosaur discovered in Texas, USA, named Quetzalcoatlus.

With a wingspan reaching as much as 15.9 m (52 ft), Quetzalcoatlus is one of the largest known flying animals of all time. This giant animal got its name from the Mesoamerican feathered serpent god, Quetzalcoatl, who was well-known under different names in the region.

The Aztecs called him Quetzalcoatl and the ancient Maya referred to him as Kukulkan.

Cryodrakon boreas, from the Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs is the first of its kind to be discovered in Canada.

“This is a cool discovery, we knew this animal was here but now we can show it is different to other azhdarchids and so it gets a name,” Dr. David Hone, lead author of the study from the Queen Mary University of London said in a press statement.

Although the remains – consisting of a skeleton that has part of the wings, legs, neck and a rib – were originally assigned to Quetzalcoatlus, study of this and additional material uncovered over the years shows it is a different species in light of the growing understanding of azhdarchid diversity.

The main skeleton is from a young animal with a wingspan of about 5 meters but one giant neck bone from another specimen suggests an adult animal would have a wingspan of around 10 meters.

This makes Cryodrakon boreas comparable in size to other giant azhdarchids including the Texan Quetzalcoatlus which could reach 10.5 m in wingspan and weighed around 250 kg.

See also:

Ancient Transylvania Was Home To Giant Flying Reptiles With A Wingspan Of 32 Feet!

‘Colobops’ Small Reptile With Little But Massive Jaws Lived In Connecticut 200 Million Years Ago

Ferrodraco “Iron Dragon”: Winged Beast That Soared Above Australia 96 Million Years Ago

Like other azhdarchids these animals were carnivorous and predominantly predated on small animals which would likely include lizards, mammals, and even baby dinosaurs.

Dr. Hone added: “It is great that we can identify Cryodrakon as being distinct to Quetzalcoatlus as it means we have a better picture of the diversity and evolution of predatory pterosaurs in North America.”

Credit: David Maas

Unlike most pterosaur groups, azhdarchids are known primarily from terrestrial settings and, despite their likely capacity to cross oceanic distances in flight, they are broadly considered to be animals that were adapted for, and lived in, inland environments.

Despite their large size and distribution across North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, few azhdarchids are known from more than fragmentary remains. This makes Cryodrakon an important animal since it has very well preserved bones and includes multiple individuals of different sizes.

Written by Don Wood – MessageToEagle.com Staff