Thalassodromeus

Thalassodromeus is an extinct genus of large pterosaurs from Early Cretaceous Brazil, distinguished by an enormous bony crest extending from its skull.

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Pterosaur: An extinct group of flying reptiles whose wings were formed by a membrane supported chiefly by an elongated fourth finger. Thalassodromeus belongs to this group of flying reptiles, not to the dinosaurs.
Thalassodromeus sethi: The type and best-known species of Thalassodromeus, named from fossil material found in Brazil. This species anchors the genus and supplies its most familiar skull and crest.
Pterosaur flight: Powered flight in pterosaurs, achieved with membrane wings supported by the forelimbs and elongated fourth fingers. Its large body and skull raise questions about how it balanced and maneuvered in flight.
Alexander Kellner: A Brazilian paleontologist known for research on pterosaurs and other Mesozoic vertebrates. Kellner and colleagues described Thalassodromeus in 2002.
Azhdarchoidea: A group of pterosaurs that includes azhdarchids and several related lineages, including tapejarids. Thalassodromeus is generally classified among these derived pterosaurs.
Tupandactylus: A genus of Brazilian tapejarid pterosaurs with large cranial crests and toothless jaws. Its striking crest invites comparison, while its skull and family placement differ.
Pterosaur feeding: The ways pterosaurs captured and processed food, inferred from their jaws, teeth, anatomy, and fossil context. Its toothless jaws prompted hypotheses about specialized feeding, but do not settle its diet.
Early Cretaceous: The first epoch of the Cretaceous Period, lasting from about 145 to 100.5 million years ago. The genus lived in this epoch, when the Araripe region preserved diverse pterosaurs.
Tapejaridae: A family of Cretaceous pterosaurs known especially for prominent cranial crests and short, toothless jaws. Its traditional family placement connects its crest to a broader South American pterosaur lineage.
Tapejara: A genus of Brazilian Cretaceous pterosaurs in the family Tapejaridae. This better-known relative helps place Thalassodromeus among South American tapejarids.