Meraxes Gigas Pterosaur

 

Meraxes gigas was a species of pterosaur, a type of flying reptile that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. It was a giant species with a wingspan of up to 6 meters, making it one of the largest pterosaurs known. The species is known from fossils found in China. Little is known about its biology and behavior, but scientists believe it was a top predator that fed on fish and other small prey.

Pterosaurs, including Meraxes gigas, were not dinosaurs but rather a separate group of reptiles that evolved the ability to fly. They lived at the same time as dinosaurs and shared the earth with them, but were not closely related. Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight, and they were successful and widespread throughout the world during the Mesozoic Era. The exact evolutionary relationship between pterosaurs and dinosaurs remains a subject of scientific debate and ongoing research.

The discovery of Meraxes gigas provides new information about the diversity and distribution of giant pterosaurs in the Late Cretaceous period. Its fossils were first described in 2019 and represent one of the largest and most complete specimens of pterosaurs found in China. Scientists use fossils like these to learn more about the biology, evolution, and extinction of pterosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.

In addition to its large size, Meraxes gigas is notable for its unique cranial crest, which was a bony structure on the top of its head. Cranial crests were common in pterosaurs and served a variety of functions, including display, species recognition, and buoyancy control during flight. The crest of Meraxes gigas was tall and backward-facing, which may have made it more visible to other pterosaurs and helped it stand out in its environment