azhdarchid

An azhdarchid is a member of Azhdarchidae, a family of pterosaurs that flourished during the Late Cretaceous. They are among the longest-necked pterosaurs, with elongated jaws and, in many species, little to no teeth. Members ranged from medium to very large sizes, and some of the largest flying animals known, such as Quetzalcoatlus, may have had wingspans around 10 meters or more.

Physically, azhdarchids typically possessed long, stiff necks, tall skulls, and long, narrow wings. They were generally toothless or bore only small teeth, and their limb proportions supported strong flight with high aspect-ratio wings suited to soaring.

Most evidence supports a terrestrial foraging lifestyle. Their long necks and beaks would have allowed them to probe the ground or water margins for small vertebrates, carrion, or other prey from a distance without needing to dive. Some researchers describe azhdarchids as generalist predators or scavengers; the exact ecological role remains debated.

Fossils are found in North America, Europe, and Asia, dating mainly to the Late Cretaceous (approximately 100–66 million years ago). The type genus is Azhdarcho; other well-known genera include Quetzalcoatlus, Hatzegopteryx, Zhejiangopterus, Alanqa, and Aralazhdarcho, among others. They disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous with the K–Pg mass extinction.

Taxonomically, azhdarchids are within the larger group Azhdarchoidea of pterosaurs; the fossil record for many species is fragmentary, and as a result, details of their diversity and exact relationships continue to be refined.