What was the name of the prehistoric flying reptile?

While many use the name pterodactyl to describe any prehistoric flying reptile, the term is actually a common shorthand for the entire scientific order, Pterosauria. The name became a popular catch-all because one of the very first pterosaurs discovered was named *Pterodactylus*. This specific genus was a relatively small, mostly tailless creature from the late Jurassic period, but its memorable name stuck in the public imagination and is now used for the whole group.

It's a common misconception that these creatures were flying dinosaurs, but they were a distinct, though closely related, group of reptiles. Their most remarkable feature was their wings, which were formed by a leathery membrane of skin and muscle stretching from an incredibly elongated fourth finger down to their ankles. To make flight possible, their bones were hollow and filled with air sacs, a feature they shared with modern birds.

Pterosaurs dominated the skies for over 150 million years, evolving into a vast array of species. Some were as small as sparrows, while giants like *Quetzalcoatlus* had wingspans of over 30 feet, making them as large as a small airplane. They lived alongside the dinosaurs (Review) throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods until they were wiped out in the same mass extinction event 66 million years ago.