Tupuxuara (T. leonardii, `Great pointed nose´) is an extinct genus of pterosaur that lived during the Aptian of the Lower Cretaceous period, approximately 112-100 million years ago. It was discovered in Brazil and is believed to have inhabited coastal and swampy areas, since fossil remains have been found in marine and freshwater sediments.
Scientists have identified several species of Tupuxuara, these animals are believed to have had a wingspan of up to 5 meters, making them one of the largest known pterosaurs.
Tupuxuara was a bipedal animal, that is, it walked on two legs, and had a long, narrow skull with a long, pointed jaw full of sharp teeth. It also had a distinctive bony crest on top of its head, probably used for display purposes or gender identification, blood vessels in the crest indicating that it was covered in skin.
Scientists believe that the Tupuxuara was an aerial predator that fed on fish, crustaceans, and other marine animals. Its long, narrow snout probably allowed it to capture prey with great precision and skill. In addition, their wingspan and their ability to fly allowed them to be very efficient in capturing food.
Tupuxuara has also become a topic of interest to paleontologists and evolutionary researchers due to its role in the evolution of pterosaurs. Pterosaurs are thought to have evolved from terrestrial reptiles and developed the ability to fly around 220 million years ago. Investigation of the fossils of Tupuxuara and other pterosaurs has provided valuable information about how these animals adapted to life in the air and how they evolved to become the large predators that they were.
Approximate measurements of the Tupuxuara:
- Scale 1:35
- Height 47mm
- Length 44mm
- Wingspan 132 mm
- Scale 1:20
- Height 83mm
- Length 76mm
- Wingspan 230 mm
