About Pteros

What is Pteros?

Pteros is a reference museum for the pterosaurs, the only vertebrates other than birds and bats ever to evolve powered flight. Every known genus is documented here, illustrated by paleoartists working from fossil evidence and the current scientific literature.

The collection spans the full range of pterosaur diversity, from insect-hunters barely larger than a sparrow to the giant azhdarchids that stood as tall as a giraffe. Each entry carries a scientific illustration, its taxonomic classification, geologic age, a wingspan estimate, and a short description grounded in the primary literature.

The illustrations

Every pterosaur here is reconstructed by a paleoartist, a specialist who combines anatomy with illustration to depict animals known only from fossils. The reconstructions are not invented. Each is built from skeletal evidence, soft-tissue preservation where it survives, and comparison with living animals.

The work is commissioned from paleoartists around the world. You can browse them in the Artists section.

The data

Taxonomic and geologic data is drawn from the primary literature and maintained by the Pteros curatorial team. Where a classification is contested or under revision, we follow the current scientific consensus and note significant alternatives.

Pterosaur science moves quickly. New species are described every year, and our understanding of their flight, growth, and diet keeps changing. The museum is updated as the science does.

Get in touch

For questions, corrections, artist submissions, or press, visit our contact page.