Pterodactyloidea

Pterodactyloidea is a major clade of pterosaurs that includes the majority of later, more derived pterosaurs. It is defined as the group that includes Pterodactylus and all pterosaurs more closely related to it than to the early, long-tailed forms known as rhamphorhynchoids. Members of this clade are characterized by an elongated wing finger forming the primary wing, a general shortening of the tail compared with basal pterosaurs, and a wide range of skull and jaw morphologies. Many pterodactyloids also show reduced dentition or toothless beaks.

The group displays considerable ecological and morphological diversity. Small species used for aerial insectivory or fish feeding, while others evolved specialized beaks or dentition suited to filter feeding or terrestrial foraging. Among the better known pterodactyloids are the large azhdarchids, including giants such as Quetzalcoatlus, which exemplify the extreme wingspan attained by the clade. Pterodactyloids inhabited a variety of environments, from coastal to inland ecosystems, across much of the world during the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous.

In the fossil record, pterodactyloids first appear in the Middle to Late Jurassic and persist until the end of the Cretaceous, contributing to the long-term ecological success of pterosaurs. Their evolution reflects a shift toward increased wing efficiency and facial specialization, enabling a broad distribution and occupation of diverse ecological niches.

Taxonomically, Pterodactyloidea is treated as a derived branch of Pterosauria. Internal relationships within the group are the subject of ongoing research, with various proposed subgroups and differing classifications across studies, but the clade is widely recognized as encompassing much of pterosaur diversity after the emergence of the pterodactyloid lineage.