Azhdarchid Pterosaurs

Azhdarchidae (named after the azhdar, اژدر, a dragon-like creature in Persian mythology) is a family of pterosaurs known mostly from the Late Cretaceous. Azhdarchids include the largest flying animals discovered, but smaller cat-size members have also been found. Originally considered a sub-family of Pteranodontidae, Nesov (1984) named the Azhdarchinae to include the pterosaurs Azhdarcho, Quetzalcoatlus, and Titanopteryx (now known as Arambourgiania). They were among the last known surviving members of the pterosaurs, and were a rather successful group with a worldwide distribution. Previously it was thought that by the end of the Cretaceous, most pterosaur families except for the Azhdarchidae disappeared from the fossil record, but recent studies indicate a wealth of other pterosaurian fauna based on several pteranodontian fossils from the latest Cretaceous period.