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  • How many fossils are there of Quetzalcoatlus northropi ?

    From Popping Mad@rainbow@colition.gov to sci.bio.paleontology on Sat Nov 15 19:25:02 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology



    I see these videos of detailed recontruction of Quetzalcoatlus northropi
    and I think to myself that I don't know how they know all these things.
    I thought the Quetzalcoatlus northropi fossils were very minimal and
    only one of them.
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  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Sat Nov 15 17:19:13 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/15/25 4:25 PM, Popping Mad wrote:


    I see these videos of detailed recontruction of Quetzalcoatlus northropi
    and I think to myself that I don't know how they know all these things.
    I thought the Quetzalcoatlus northropi fossils were very minimal and
    only one of them.

    According to Wikipedia, there are only fragmentary skeletons of
    northropi and Lawsoni, the wing span is pretty uncertain.

    "While wingspan estimates over the years have ranged from 5.2rCo25.8 m (17rCo85 ft), more recent estimates hover around 10rCo11 m (33rCo36 ft). Previously, smaller azhdarchid specimens were referred to the species Q. lawsoni, though other researchers have questioned the placement of this species within the genus."

    What their hunting strategies and flying abilities (particularly with
    regard to takeoff) are also pretty uncertain.
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  • From Popping Mad@rainbow@colition.gov to sci.bio.paleontology on Sat Nov 15 22:58:58 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 11/15/25 8:19 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    What their hunting strategies and flying abilities (particularly with
    regard to takeoff) are also pretty uncertain.


    More so the skull is a question. They have no skull to my knowledge
    and yet they are making pretty bold conjectures on a genera where skull
    shape and usage varies broadly.
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