pterodactyl
pter·o·dac·tyl / ˌterəˈdaktəl/ • n. a pterosaur (Pterodactylus and other genera, family Pterodactylidae) of the late Jurassic period, with a long slender head and neck and a very short tail. ∎ (in general use) any pterosaur.
pterodactyl
pterodactyl Any of several species of small pterosaur. Now extinct, pterosaurs were flying reptiles distributed worldwide in Jurassic and Cretaceous times. Pterodactyls were almost tail-less, with large toothed beaks and flimsy membranous wings. Fossil remains show a lack of muscular development and the absence of a breast keel. It is therefore believed that pterodactyls were gliders, incapable of sustained flapping flight.
More From encyclopedia.com
Wing , wing / wing/ • n. 1. any of a number of specialized paired appendages that enable some animals to fly, in particular: ∎ (in a bird) a modified foreli… Wings , wings
wings,flight organs of the bird, the bat, and the insect. Birds' wings are pectoral appendages that are basically the same in skeletal structur… Diptera , Diptera(two-winged flies, true flies; class Insecta, subclass Pterygota) Order of insects in which the adults have a single pair of membranous wings,… Flutter , flut·ter / ˈflətər/ • v. [intr.] (of a bird or other winged creature) fly unsteadily or hover by flapping the wings quickly and lightly: a couple of… Pterosaurs , pterosaur (tĕr´əsôr´) [Gr., = winged lizard], extinct flying reptile (commonly called pterodactyl [Gr., = wing finger]) of the order Pterosauria, com… Wingspan , wing·span / ˈwingˌspan/ (also wing·spread / -ˌspred/ ) • n. the maximum extent across the wings of an aircraft, bird, or other flying animal, measure…
About this article
pterodactyl
All Sources -
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
pterodactyl