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Quetzalcoatlus  |
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Originally discovered by Douglas Lawson in Texas and subsequently found as far North as Alberta this was the largest organism ever to achieve flight. It had an estimated wing span of twelve meters and an overall weight of about sixty-five kilograms. The head is crested and the jaws are long, narrow and toothless. There has been some debate to what Quetzalcoatlus (To hear pronunciation choose: Mac/Win) ate. It has not been found near any know marine settings and so did not feed upon marine organisms. Some believe that it used its slender jaws to probe marshes for invertebrates, while others said that it was a scavenger and that it fed on dinosaur carrion. It's mode of life was probably closest to that of modern day condors. Quetzalcoatlus may have used thermals to soar and may have not needed to flap its large wings frequently. |
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 © Patrick Lyons 1998. |
