ancientbeasts:

Nemicolopterus:

Epoch: Cretaceous

Size: Wingspan of 25cm

Nemicolopterus was a pterosaur, for all intensive purposes. It did however have something that made it different from a lot of the pterosaurs that we now have as a stereotype; that is it’s size. At only 25cm wing tip to wing tip nemicolopterus is the smallest known genus of pterosaur ever found. It’s size puts it in the range of modern pigeons and sparrows. It’s size as well as small curved claws on it’s hands suggest that it lived predominantly in the tops of trees. Here it was easily protected by the density of tree branches and such. It was also able to find it’s prey here which were small insects. It is likely that it spent it’s time moving from tree to tree until it had had it’s fill. From an evolutionary standpoint nemicolopterus also has a high significance. Because it is believed that from this small pterosaur, larger pterosaurs such as quetzalcoatlus evolved. This makes nemicolopterus an evolutionary stepping stone. However it’s significance is not limited to what it would evolve into; it’s important to remember that this was truly a magnificent animal and would have been amazing to see in the wild.