Tapejara

Master RGB File:
4,412 pixels (14.7") high
5,465 pixels (18.2") wide
300 dpi resolution
69 Mb uncompressed

Image Use

Publication History

This unusual pterosaur was found in the Santana Formation in Brazil. The prominent facial crests may have been used for display during the mating season, and the toothless beak indicates it may have subsisted on carrion. It's name "Tapejara" means "The Old Being" and derives from the Tupi Indians, who were the original inhabitants of the region.

Genus Name: Tapejara ("The Old Being")
Type Species: * T. wellnhoferi (Kellner, 1989)
Wingspan: 10 to 16 feet? (3 to 5 meters?)
Weight: 10 to 25 pounds?
Time: about 115 million years ago (Early Cretaceous)
Place: Brazil (Araripe Plateau)
Diet: meat-eater (carnivore)