A Skimming Stork

One of the largest North American pterosaurs, Queztalcoatlus has captured the minds of both the scientists and non scientists who hear of this animal. It's name, coming from the Aztec Nahuatl language and meaning "Bird-Snake" (though largely accepted as "Feathered Dragon" or "Serpent" due to western ideas in play at the time--) derives from the essentially Mexican-American locations (all fossils derive from Texas), and honors the myths depicting a large, winged serpent-like animal covered in irredescent and multi-colored feathers.

Here, the species depicted is that as yet unnamed Q. sp., of which most of the skull and much of the skeleton is known, though it is just over half the size of the original species, Q. northropi. Note the extremely long yet surprisingly inflexible neck, and very short wings. However, study shows the short wings and likely the long neck and head may not have done much to inhibit its flight. More data suggests, using various lines of evidence, that this pterosaur was likely an opportunist on the ground, but could possibly have also skimmed for food. A distinct keel underlies the mandible, reinforcing the ventral surface.

As an azhdarchid, Queztalcoatlus also possesses unique wing phalanges that would resist higher levels of torsion than in typical pterosaurs, which have a triangular cross-section, while Q. and other azhdarchids had one that is T-shaped, allowing the bone to resist torsion as well as bending. These show there was a derived ability to fly, discounting the theory that it was so large as to be flightless.