Ptammy is learning more and more about better ways to handle losing. She’s recently written an article on the topic that you can check out on our blog. Ptammy never leaves home without a stylish flower accessory, whether it’s her favorite hat or a cute necklace. Flowers are her very favorite thing and they help her feel calm when she starts to get upset. Like most pterodactyls, Ptammy loves fish, so you might see her at her family’s sushi restaurant located in Prehistoria’s downtown district.
Pterodactyl Facts:
Pterodactyls, or Pterodactylus antiquus, lived from the late Jurassic Period 150.8 to 148.5 million years ago. Most of their fossils are located in Germany, far away from many of our Palosaur Pals. Some fossils have been found in other places in Europe and Africa. The word pterodactyl means “winged flyer”.
Pterodactyls are not actually dinosaurs. Anything that flew or lived in water is not considered a dinosaur. They belong to a group of animals called pterosaurs, because they flew! Ptammy and her pterosaur family members are, however, a distant cousin of dinosaurs. Pterodactylus antiquus was the very first pterosaur to ever be found. Pterodactyls and the over 130 different types of pterosaurs went extinct at the same time as the dinosaurs.
Surprisingly, pterodactyls and other pterosaurs were carnivores. They liked to eat meat, just like many birds of prey today. However, just because they could fly, doesn’t mean they are birds. Pterosaurs are actually more closely related to dinosaurs than they are birds.
From wing tip to wing tip a pterodactyl was about 19.5 feet across, and from nose tip to tail was about 6 feet, give or take. Just like you and me, a pterosaur or dinosaur fully grown would develop based on how big their parents were, not every pterosaur would have been the exact same size.
Your the Author Activity
Watch the National Geographic video on YouTube called “Pterosaurs 101” to learn more about Pterosaurs. Then, create a new character idea for the Palosaurs that’s in the pterosaur order. You can email us your drawings, character name, and story about your pterosaur. If you want us to post the pictures to our Palosaur Instagram page please let us know and we’ll be sure to share it!