This list of pterosaurs is a comprehensive listing of all genera that have ever been included in the order Pterosauria, excluding purely vernacular terms. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera that are now considered invalid, doubtful (nomen dubium), or were not formally published (nomen nudum), as well as junior synonyms of more established names, and genera that are no longer considered pterosaurian. The list currently includes 288 genera.
There is no official, canonical list of pterosaur genera, but the most thorough attempts can be found at the Pterosauria section of Mikko Haaramo's Phylogeny Archive, the Genus Index at Mike Hanson's The Pterosauria, supplemented by the Pterosaur Species List, and in the fourth supplement of Donald F. Glut's Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia series.
The authors column lists the authors of the formal description responsible for the erection of the genus listed. They are not necessarily the same as the authors of the type species as sometimes a species from one genus is determined sufficiently distinct to warrant the erection of a new genus to house it. If this is the case, only the latter authors will be listed. The year column notes the year the description was published.
Naming conventions and terminology follow the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Technical terms used include:
The age column denotes the epoch of geologic time to which the fossils date. Genera that are invalid, misidentified, or otherwise do not represent a valid pterosaur are listed as age N/A because there was never a time in which a pterosaur by that generic name actually lived.
The location column designates the countries where remains of the relevant genus have been found. Genera that are invalid, misidentified, or otherwise do not represent a valid pterosaur are listed as location N/A because there was never a place in which a pterosaur by that generic name actually lived. The notes column is a collection of annotations on the scientific significance and taxonomic history of listed genera, as well as elaborations on the information presented in other columns.
| Genus | Authors | Year | Status | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerodactylus | Vidovic & Martill | 2014 | Disputed | Late Jurassic | Some researchers suggest that every referred specimen is indistinguishable from Pterodactylus | ||
| Aerodraco | Holgado & Pêgas | 2020 | Valid | Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous | ( |
Originally mistakenly thought to be a species of Pterodactylus | |
| Aerotitan | Novas et al. | 2012 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | The first azhdarchid known from South America | ||
| Aetodactylus | Myers | 2010 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Known from a partial lower jaw missing only two teeth | ||
| Afrotapejara | Martill et al. | 2020 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | The first African tapejarid and the fourth pterosaur validly named from the Kem Kem Group | ||
| Aidachar | Nesov | 1981 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Actually a teleost fish whose remains were originally mistaken for jaw fragments of a ctenochasmatid pterosaur. The mistake was corrected five years later | |
| Akharhynchus | Jacobs, Smith & Zouhri | 2024 | Valid | Early Cretaceous? to Late Cretaceous | Based only on fragmentary premaxillae | ||
| Alamodactylus | Andres & Myers | 2013 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | The holotype left wing is badly crushed | ||
| Alanqa | Ibrahim et al. | 2010 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Characterized by straight, pointed jaws, not unlike those of some azhdarchids | ||
| Albadraco | Solomon et al. | 2020 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Has been suggested to represent a young Hatzegopteryx, but this was considered unlikely | ||
| Alcione | Longrich et al. | 2018 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Possessed proportionately short wings, which imply an adaptation either for a rapid flapping or to aid with underwater movement | ||
| Allkaruen | Codorniú et al. | 2016 | Valid | Early Jurassic | Its braincase shows a number of features intermediate between earlier-diverging pterosaurs and more derived pterodactyloid taxa | ||
| Altmuehlopterus | Vidovic & Martill | 2017 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Formerly assigned to Germanodactylus | ||
| Amblydectes | Hooley | 1914 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | ( |
Has been synonymized with four other genera throughout history | |
| Angustinaripterus | He et al. | 1983 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | May be piscivorous on account of its dentition | ||
| Anhanguera | Campos & Kellner | 1985 | Valid | Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous | A 2003 study shows that it, alongside many other pterosaurs, held its head while facing the ground | ||
| Anurognathus | Döderlein | 1923 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Noted for its relatively short skull with pin-like teeth adapted for catching insects | ||
| Apatomerus | Williston | 1903 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Probably a misidentified plesiosaur | |
| Apatorhamphus | McPhee et al. | 2020 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Possibly a chaoyangopterid although this cannot be confirmed due to the fragmentary nature of the remains | ||
| Aralazhdarcho | Averianov | 2007 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | May be the sister taxon to Phosphatodraco | ||
| Arambourgiania | Nessov | 1989 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Had very long cervical vertebrae, making its neck longer than that of a modern giraffe | ||
| Araripedactylus | Wellnhofer | 1977 | Dubious? | Early Cretaceous | Has been suggested to be a nomen dubium due to the very fragmentary holotype and its supposed distinguishing traits being widespread among the Pterodactyloidea | ||
| Araripesaurus | Price | 1971 | Dubious? | Early Cretaceous | The first pterosaur known from Brazil | ||
| Archaeoistiodactylus | Lü & Fucha | 2010 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | Had quite short metacarpals | ||
| Arcticodactylus | Kellner | 2015 | Valid | Late Triassic | Initially named as a species of Eudimorphodon, but it is distinct enough to be recognized as its own genus | ||
| Ardeadactylus | Bennett | 2013 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Possessed larger teeth than the contemporary Pterodactylus, suggesting it would have possibly preyed on larger fish | ||
| Argentinadraco | Kellner & Calvo | 2017 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Unusually, the top surface of the lower jaw consisted of ridges and depressions | ||
| Arthurdactylus | Frey & Martill | 1994 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Named after Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the 1912 novel The Lost World | ||
| Aurorazhdarcho | Frey, Meyer & Tischlinger | 2011 | Disputed | Late Jurassic | A 2025 analysis has suggested it may actually be a synonym of Gnathosaurus | ||
| Aussiedraco | Kellner, Rodrigues & Costa | 2011 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Known solely from a fragmentary dentary | ||
| Austriadactylus | Dalla Vecchia et al. | 2002 | Valid | Late Triassic | Noted for a widened bony crest along the midline of the snout | ||
| Austriadraco | Kellner | 2015 | Valid | Late Triassic | Its uniquely fused frontals were once misidentified as a breast bone | ||
| Avgodectes | Peters | 2004 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Probable junior synonym of Haopterus | |
| Aymberedactylus | Pêgas et al. | 2016 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The holotype jaw has a mixture of primitive and derived traits among tapejarids | ||
| Azhdarcho | Nesov | 1984 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | This genus is the namesake of the Azhdarchidae and Azhdarchoidea | ||
| Bakiribu | Pêgas et al. | 2025 | Dubious | Early Cretaceous | Originally described as a ctenochasmatid pterosaur closely related to Pterodaustro, but may in fact be an amiid fish | ||
| Bakonydraco | Ősi, Weishampel & Jianu | 2005 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Has been variously suggested to be an azhdarchid, a tapejarid, or an azhdarchoid outside those groups | ||
| Balaenognathus | Martill et al. | 2023 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Was unable to fully close its mouth due to the upper jaw's strong curvature | ||
| Banguela | Headden & Campos | 2015 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Described as an unusually edentulous dsungaripterid, later suggested to be a species of Thalassodromeus, and finally recovered as a valid taxon, potentially a chaoyangopterid | ||
| Barbaridactylus | Longrich et al. | 2018 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Its femur has a slight distal expansion, a feature shared with Pteranodon | ||
| Barbosania | Elgin & Frey | 2011 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Some remains initially referred to Brasileodactylus may in fact belong to this genus | ||
| Batrachognathus | Ryabinin | 1948 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Possibly lived in a lacustrine habitat similar to that in the Solnhofen Limestone of Germany | ||
| Beipiaopterus | Lü | 2003 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Its wing membranes contained a large amount of blood vessels, suggesting they were possibly used in thermoregulation | ||
| Bellubrunnus | Hone et al. | 2012 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Uniquely for a pterosaur, it had forward-curving wingtips | ||
| Belonochasma | Broili | 1939 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Subsequently found to be a reptile of uncertain affinities | |
| Bennettazhia | Nessov | 1991 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Originally assigned to the unrelated Pteranodon | ||
| Bergamodactylus | Kellner | 2015 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Carniadactylus | |
| Bogolubovia | Nessov & Yarkov | 1989 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Has been suggested to be likely synonymous with Volgadraco, but it was considered valid based on newly discovered remains | ||
| Boreopterus | Lü & Ji | 2005 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Probably used its needle-like teeth to trap small prey in a similar manner to Platanista river dolphins | ||
| Brachytrachelus | Giebel | 1850 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied name, now known as Scaphognathus | |
| Brasileodactylus | Kellner | 1984 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | One referred specimen indicates this genus had a thin crest in the lower jaw, contrasting the previous assumption that it had no crests in either jaw | ||
| Cacibupteryx | Gasparini, Fernández & de la Fuente | 2004 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Named based on a three-dimensionally preserved skull | ||
| Caelestiventus | Britt et al. | 2018 | Valid | Late Triassic | One of the largest pterosaurs known from the Triassic | ||
| Caiuajara | Manzig et al. | 2014 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Known from exceptionally large concentrations of fossils, implying a gregarious behavior for this taxon | ||
| Camposipterus | Rodrigues & Kellner | 2013 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
The tip of the snout was flat | |
| Campylognathoides | Strand | 1928 | Valid | Early Jurassic | May have fed on cephalopods as indicated by the presence of Clarkeiteuthis remains among gut contents | ||
| Campylognathus | Plieninger | 1894 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied name, now known as Campylognathoides | |
| Carniadactylus | Dalla Vecchia | 2009 | Valid | Late Triassic | Similar to Eudimorphodon, but differences in the size and dentition suggest distinct ecological roles for both taxa | ||
| Cascocauda | Yang et al. | 2022 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | Some of the preserved pycnofibres resemble the feathers of maniraptoran dinosaurs, which suggests a close relationship between these integuments | ||
| Cathayopterus | Wang & Zhou | 2006 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The left side of the only described skull is damaged | ||
| Caulkicephalus | Steel et al. | 2005 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Likely had a backward-facing head crest when alive | |
| Caupedactylus | Kellner | 2013 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | May have been relatively large for a tapejarid | ||
| Caviramus | Fröbisch & Fröbisch | 2006 | Valid | Late Triassic | Its discovery suggests a greater diversity of Triassic pterosaurs than previously thought | ||
| Cearadactylus | Leonardi & Borgomanero | 1985 | Valid? | Early Cretaceous | Has been interpreted as a possible junior synonym of Brasileodactylus | ||
| Ceoptera | Martin-Silverstone et al. | 2024 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | ( |
May have inhabited a low-salinity lagoon environment | |
| Changchengopterus | Lü | 2009 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | Two specimens are known, each belonging to different ontogenetic stages | ||
| Chaoyangopterus | Wang & Zhou | 2003 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Originally mistakenly believed to be a nyctosaurid | ||
| Cimoliopterus | Rodrigues & Kellner | 2013 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | ( |
Would have been capable of long-distance oceanic soaring due to its remains being mostly found in marine strata | |
| Cimoliornis | Owen | 1846 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | ( |
Originally believed to be a giant albatross-like bird | |
| Coloborhynchus | Owen | 1874 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Has had a very convoluted taxonomic history | |
| Comodactylus | Galton | 1981 | Dubious | Late Jurassic | The first non-pterodactyloid pterosaur named from North America. Only a metacarpal is known | ||
| Cratonopterus | Jiang et al. | 2023 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Exhibits traits unique among ctenochasmatids | ||
| Cretornis | Frič | 1881 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Uniquely, the distal part of its humerus is diamond-shaped in cross-section | ||
| Criorhynchus | Owen | 1874 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Ornithocheirus | |
| Cryodrakon | Hone et al. | 2019 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | The northernmost pterosaur named from North America | ||
| Ctenochasma | Meyer | 1851 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Mainly characterized by its jaws filled with numerous long, narrow teeth | ||
| Cuspicephalus | Martill & Etches | 2013 | Valid | Late Jurassic | ( |
The largest known wukongopterid and the only one currently described from outside China | |
| Cycnorhamphus | Seeley | 1870 | Valid | Late Jurassic | The unusual anatomy of its jaws suggests it could grab shelled prey similarly to openbill storks | ||
| "Daitingopterus" | Maisch et al. | 2004 | Nomen nudum | N/A | N/A | Now referred to Altmuehlopterus | |
| Daohugoupterus | Cheng et al. | 2015 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | The smallest pterosaur known from the Yanliao Biota | ||
| Darwinopterus | Lü et al. | 2010 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | Exhibits features of both basal pterosaurs and pterodactyloids | ||
| Dawndraco | Kellner | 2010 | Disputed | Late Cretaceous | Possible junior synonym of either Geosternbergia or Pteranodon | ||
| Dearc | Jagielska et al. | 2022 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | ( |
Its discovery refutes the claim that pterosaurs did not reach larger body sizes until the appearance of the pterodactyloid forms of the Cretaceous | |
| Dendrorhynchoides | Ji, Ji & Padian | 1999 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Once thought to have come from the Jurassic. One of the youngest confirmed anurognathids | ||
| Dendrorhynchus | Ji & Ji | 1998 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied name, now known as Dendrorhynchoides | |
| Dermodactylus | Marsh | 1881 | Dubious | Late Jurassic | Solely represented by a partial hand bone | ||
| Dimorphodon | Owen | 1859 | Valid | Early Jurassic | ( |
Possessed two different types of teeth, hence its genus name | |
| Diopecephalus | Seeley | 1871 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Has been suggested to be a synonym of Pterodactylus | ||
| Dolicorhamphus | Seeley | 1885 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | ( |
Once thought to have been a dubious taxon. Two species are known | |
| Domeykodactylus | Martill et al. | 2000 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Combines features of both ctenochasmatids and dsungaripterids, but it was referred to as a member of the latter group | ||
| Doratorhynchus | Seeley | 1875 | Nomen vanum | Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous | ( |
Poorly known | |
| Dorygnathus | Wagner | 1860 | Valid | Early Jurassic | Had been erroneously suggested to be capable of bipedal movement | ||
| Douzhanopterus | Wang et al. | 2017 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Phylogenetically placed between the Wukongopteridae and Propterodactylus | ||
| Draigwenia | Holgado | 2021 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
First described as a species of Ornithocheirus, but it is notably different from that taxon | |
| Dsungaripterus | Young | 1964 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had flat teeth located at the back of the jaws, indicating an adaptation for a durophagous diet | ||
| Elanodactylus | Andres & Ji | 2008 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Its cervicals were convergently similar to those of azhdarchids | ||
| Eoazhdarcho | Lü & Ji | 2005 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | First described as an azhdarchid, though it has been found to be distantly related | ||
| Eopteranodon | Lü & Zhang | 2005 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Potentially related to the coeval Sinopterus | ||
| Eosipterus | Ji & Ji | 1997 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | May have had bulky, elongated wings | ||
| Eotephradactylus | Kligman et al. | 2025 | Valid | Late Triassic | The oldest pterosaur from North America | ||
| Epapatelo | Fernandes et al. | 2022 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Known from incomplete, three-dimensionally preserved left limb bones belonging to two individuals | ||
| Eudimorphodon | Zambelli | 1973 | Valid | Late Triassic | Several specimens previously attributed to this genus were later assigned to new taxa | ||
| Eurazhdarcho | Vremir et al. | 2013 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Distinguished by some features of its cervical vertebrae | ||
| Eurolimnornis | Kessler & Jurcsák | 1986 | Dubious | Early Cretaceous | Originally described as a bird, but it was subsequently reinterpreted as a pterosaur | ||
| Europejara | Vullo et al. | 2012 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The first tapejarid officially named from Europe | ||
| Faxinalipterus | Bonaparte et al. | 2010 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Although described as a pterosaur, it has since been reinterpreted as a non-pterosaurian archosaur, likely a lagerpetid | |
| Feilongus | Wang et al. | 2005 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had a uniquely pronounced overbite. One of the largest basal pterodactyloids | ||
| Fenghuangopterus | Lü, Fucha & Chen | 2010 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | Only known from a fairly complete, although crushed, skeleton | ||
| Ferrodraco | Pentland et al. | 2019 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Discovered by a cattle farmer while spraying herbicide | ||
| Forfexopterus | Jiang et al. | 2016 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Unlike other ctenochasmatids, the tip of its snout was not spatula-shaped and possessed more curved teeth | ||
| Galgadraco | Giaretta et al. | 2025 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Related to Albadraco from Europe | ||
| Gallodactylus | Fabre | 1974 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Cycnorhamphus | |
| Garudapterus | Manitkoon et al. | 2025 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The first pterosaur named from Southeast Asia and the youngest confirmed gnathosaurine known to date | ||
| Gegepterus | Wang et al. | 2007 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had been speculated to be a juvenile of another ctenochasmatid | ||
| Geosternbergia | Miller | 1978 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Pteranodon, specifically P. sternbergi | |
| Germanodactylus | Yang | 1964 | Valid | Late Jurassic | The first pterosaur from which crest soft-tissue remains are known | ||
| Gladocephaloideus | Lü | 2012 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The type specimen was originally believed to be an adult, but the discovery of the second fossil indicates it is actually much younger | ||
| Gnathosaurus | Meyer | 1833 | Valid | Late Jurassic | ( |
Originally mistakenly believed to be a marine crocodylomorph | |
| Gobiazhdarcho | Pêgas, Zhou & Kobayashi | 2025 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | One of the few pterosaurs described from Mongolia | ||
| Guidraco | Wang et al. | 2012 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | May have possessed a head crest with a slight front curve in life as suggested by the angled skull roof | ||
| Gwawinapterus | Arbour & Currie | 2011 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Initially thought to be a late-surviving istiodactylid pterosaur, but it was found to actually represent an indeterminate saurodontid fish the following year | |
| Haliskia | Pentland et al. | 2024 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The most completely known Australian pterosaur so far | ||
| Hamipterus | Wang et al. | 2014 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Two different body and crest sizes are known, which may be a sexually dimorphic trait. Some well-preserved eggs are also known | ||
| Haopterus | Wang & Lü | 2001 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The first Chinese pterosaur from which a skull is known | ||
| Harpactognathus | Carpenter et al. | 2003 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Unusually for a rhamphorhynchid, it had a premaxillary crest on the midline of its skull that may have been expanded by soft tissue | ||
| Hatzegopteryx | Buffetaut et al. | 2002 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Large and very robust in morphology | ||
| Herbstosaurus | Casamiquela | 1975 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Erroneously described as a dinosaur until its reclassification as a pterosaur | ||
| Hongshanopterus | Wang et al. | 2008 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Initially placed within the Istiodactylidae by its describers, but it was later suggested to be in fact outside that family | ||
| Huanhepterus | Dong | 1982 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The right half of its skeleton was destroyed by an explosion in a quarry | ||
| Huaxiadraco | Pêgas et al. | 2023 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The third tapejarid known from the Jehol Biota. Originally referred to Huaxiapterus, which is now deemed synonymous with Sinopterus | ||
| Huaxiapterus | Lü & Yuan | 2005 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Sinopterus | |
| Iberodactylus | Holgado et al. | 2019 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Possibly the largest pterosaur identified from the Iberian Peninsula | ||
| Ikrandraco | Wang et al. | 2020 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Uniquely, its skull possessed a crest only in the lower jaw, hypothesized to have been an attachment point for a pelican-like gular pouch | |
| Inabtanin | Rosenbach et al. | 2024 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | The structure of its bones implies a capability of flapping its wings during flight in contrast to the soaring deduced for the much larger contemporary Arambourgiania | ||
| Infernodrakon | Thomas et al. | 2025 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Known from a single neck vertebra once believed to belong to Quetzalcoatlus | ||
| Ingridia | Unwin & Martill | 2007 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Objective junior synonym of Tupandactylus | |
| Istiodactylus | Howse, Milner & Martill | 2001 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Had a short, broad skull with exceptionally large naso-antorbital fenestrae | |
| Javelinadactylus | Campos | 2021 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Wellnhopterus. Although named a few months earlier, its description was retracted over allegations that the describer did not have access to its holotype | |
| Jeholopterus | Wang et al. | 2002 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | Its large size potentially suggests it may have fed on fish other than insects as in other anurognathids | ||
| Jianchangnathus | Cheng et al. | 2012 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | Shared various features with Scaphognathus | ||
| Jianchangopterus | Lü & Bo | 2011 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | An almost complete skeleton is known, including the skull | ||
| Jidapterus | Dong, Sun & Wu | 2003 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Possessed very small eye sockets | ||
| Kariridraco | Cerqueira et al. | 2021 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The type and only known skull was falsified by workers who glued it to the snout of an unrelated pterosaur | ||
| Kepodactylus | Harris & Carpenter | 1996 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Discovered alongside the remains of Stegosaurus | ||
| Keresdrakon | Kellner et al. | 2019 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Found in direct association with the remains of Caiuajara, indicating the first known evidence for sympatry between pterosaurs | ||
| Klobiodon | O'Sullivan & Martill | 2018 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | ( |
Its lower jaw had a gradual down curve at the front | |
| Kryptodrakon | Andres, Clark & Xu | 2014 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | The oldest pterodactyloid currently named | ||
| Kunpengopterus | Wang et al. | 2010 | Valid | Middle Jurassic? to Late Jurassic | The species K. antipollicatus is noted for its opposable thumbs, an unusual trait among non-mammalian vertebrates | ||
| Lacusovagus | Witton | 2008 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The largest pterosaur of the Crato Formation. May be a chaoyangopterid | ||
| Laopteryx | Marsh | 1881 | Dubious | Late Jurassic | Initially mistaken for a bird | ||
| Laueropterus | Hone | 2026 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Likely a close relative of the coeval Makrodactylus and Skiphosoura | ||
| Leptostomia | Smith et al. | 2021 | Valid | Early Cretaceous? to Late Cretaceous | Potentially a probe-feeder as suggested by the unusual anatomy of its beak and the environment it would have lived in | ||
| Liaodactylus | Zhou et al. | 2017 | Valid | Late Jurassic | The oldest ctenochasmatid known to date. Had a shorter snout and fewer teeth than later members of that family | ||
| Liaoningopterus | Wang & Zhou | 2003 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The fourth tooth of its upper jaw was the largest among pterosaurs | ||
| Liaoxipterus | Dong & Lü | 2005 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Might have been an insectivore capable of protruding its tongue as indicated by the preserved hyoid | ||
| Limnornis | Kessler & Jurcsák | 1984 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied name, later renamed Palaeocursornis | |
| Lingyuanopterus | Xu et al. | 2022 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Some features of the skull are adaptations for a scavenging lifestyle | ||
| Linlongopterus | Rodrigues et al. | 2015 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Its dentition looked quite similar to that of Haopterus and Mimodactylus | ||
| "Lithosteornis" | Gervais | 1844 | Nomen nudum | N/A | N/A | Referred to Ornithocheirus | |
| Lonchodectes | Hooley | 1914 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | ( |
Noted for its vertically compressed jaws containing short teeth | |
| Lonchodraco | Rodrigues & Kellner | 2013 | Valid | Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous | ( |
Remains originally assigned to Pterodactylus and Lonchodectes | |
| Lonchognathosaurus | Maisch, Matzke & Sun | 2004 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Distinguishable by its pointed jaws | ||
| Longchengpterus | Wang et al. | 2006 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The first istiodactylid known from China | ||
| Luchibang | Hone et al. | 2020 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Has been found to be chimeric, with the tip of the snout being the actual holotype while the postcranial remains belong to an azhdarchomorph, probably Sinopterus | ||
| Ludodactylus | Frey et al. | 2003 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had a long crest at the back of the skull, convergent with adult male Pteranodon longiceps | ||
| Luopterus | Hone | 2020 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | One of the smallest known pterosaurs. Originally believed to be a species of Dendrorhynchoides | ||
| Lusognathus | Fernandes et al. | 2023 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Its teeth were robust and rounded or oval in cross-section | ||
| Maaradactylus | Bantim et al. | 2014 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had one of the largest skulls of any anhanguerid | ||
| Macrotrachelus | Giebel | 1852 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Pterodactylus | |
| Makrodactylus | Hone et al. | 2025 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Smaller than most other known basal members of the Monofenestrata | ||
| Meilifeilong | Wang et al. | 2023 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The most well-preserved and complete member of the Chaoyangopteridae yet known | ||
| Melkamter | Fernandes, Pol & Rauhut | 2024 | Valid | Early Jurassic | The fifth pterosaur named from the Jurassic of South America | ||
| Mesadactylus | Jensen & Padian | 1989 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Its sacral vertebrae unusually shared one trait with birds, which led to its misidentification as one | ||
| Microtuban | Elgin & Frey | 2011 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Based on a juvenile specimen with many broken bones, which may have been caused by either a collision or an attack by a predator | ||
| Mimodactylus | Kellner et al. | 2019 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Represents the first completely known Afro-Arabian pterosaur fossil. Had conical teeth at the front of its jaws | ||
| Mistralazhdarcho | Vullo et al. | 2018 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Closely related to the South American Aerotitan | ||
| Moganopterus | Lü et al. | 2012 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Known for having the longest skull of any toothed pterosaur | ||
| Montanazhdarcho | Padian, de Ricqlès & Horner | 1995 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Based on a mostly uncompressed fossil that may have belonged to a mature individual | ||
| Muzquizopteryx | Frey et al. | 2006 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | The holotype fossil had been used as a decoration of an office wall | ||
| Mythunga | Molnar & Thulborn | 2008 | Dubious? | Early Cretaceous | Has been regarded as an indeterminate tropeognathine | ||
| Navajodactylus | Sullivan & Fowler | 2011 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Tentatively attributed to the Azhdarchidae by its authors, but the lack of pneumacity in its forelimbs does not support this | ||
| Nemicolopterus | Wang et al. | 2008 | Dubious | Early Cretaceous | Described as the smallest adult pterosaur yet recorded, but it has been recently suggested to represent an early development stage of Sinopterus | ||
| Nesodactylus | Colbert | 1969 | Valid | Late Jurassic | The first pterosaur discovered in Cuba. Similar to Rhamphorhynchus albeit with longer wings and bulkier limbs | ||
| Nesodon | Jensen & Ostrom | 1977 | Lapsus calami | N/A | N/A | Misspelling of Nesodactylus, also preoccupied by a toxodont | |
| Nicorhynchus | Holgado & Pêgas | 2020 | Valid? | Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous | ( |
A 2023 review claims both assigned species may be synonymous with Coloborhynchus, the genus to which they were initially attributed | |
| Ningchengopterus | Lü | 2009 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Preserves soft tissue remains, including wing membranes and pycnofibres | ||
| Nipponopterus | Zhou et al. | 2025 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Similar in morphology to Gobiazhdarcho although it is also known from a subadult individual | ||
| Noripterus | Young | 1973 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had a lightly built skull compared to its contemporary Dsungaripterus | ||
| Normannognathus | Buffetaut, LePage & LePage | 1998 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Has been recovered in a variety of phylogenetic positions within the Monofenestrata | ||
| Nurhachius | Wang et al. | 2005 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Possibly paraphyletic as N. luei has been found to be closer to Hongshanopterus than to N. ignaciobritoi, the type species | ||
| Nyctodactylus | Marsh | 1881 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Nyctosaurus | |
| Nyctosaurus | Marsh | 1876 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Some individuals have been noted for their enormous, antler-like head crests | ||
| Odontorhynchus | Stolley | 1936 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Rhamphorhynchus | |
| "Oolithorhynchus" | Whalley | 2000 | Nomen nudum | N/A | N/A | A manuscript name about which almost nothing is known | |
| Ordosipterus | Ji | 2020 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | The morphology of its teeth may have made them not useful for cracking shells, unlike many other dsungaripterids | ||
| Orientognathus | Lü et al. | 2015 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | One of the basalmost rhamphorhynchids currently known | ||
| Ornithocephalus | Sömmering | 1812 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Pterodactylus | |
| Ornithocheirus | Seeley | 1869 | Valid | Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous? | ( |
Numerous species have been assigned to it in the past. However, most of these have been either deemed doubtful or moved to distinct genera | |
| Ornithodesmus | Seeley | 1887 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Later found to be a dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur | |
| Ornithopterus | Meyer | 1838 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Rhamphorhynchus | |
| Ornithostoma | Seeley | 1871 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Once believed to be a senior synonym of Pteranodon | |
| "Osteornis" | Gervais | 1844 | Nomen nudum | N/A | N/A | Nomen ex dissertationae for pterosaur remains later named Palaeornis and Cimoliornis | |
| Otogopterus | Ji & Zhang | 2020 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Probably lived near braided rivers | ||
| Pachagnathus | Martínez et al. | 2022 | Valid | Late Triassic | One of the only Triassic pterosaurs known from terrestrial environments | ||
| Pachyrhamphus | Fitzinger | 1843 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied name, now known as Scaphognathus | |
| Palaeocursornis | Kessler & Jurcsák | 1986 | Dubious | Early Cretaceous | May be synonymous with Eurolimnornis | ||
| Palaeornis | Mantell | 1844 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied name, now called Rexarthuria | |
| Pangupterus | Lü et al. | 2016 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Its exact taxonomic placement is unknown | ||
| Paranurognathus | Peters | 2005 | Jr. snyonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Anurognathus | |
| Parapsicephalus | Arthaber | 1919 | Valid | Early Jurassic | ( |
Its skull roof is convex, similar to that of dimorphodontians | |
| Peteinosaurus | Wild | 1978 | Valid | Late Triassic | One of the smallest and oldest pterosaurs | ||
| Petrodactyle | Hone et al. | 2023 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Large for a Jurassic pterosaur | ||
| Phobetor | Bakhurina | 1986 | Jr. snyonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Noripterus | |
| Phosphatodraco | Pereda-Suberbiola et al. | 2003 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | One of the few azhdarchid pterosaurs known from a mostly complete neck | ||
| Piksi | Varricchio | 2002 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Formerly erroneously described as a bird, although it was found to be a pterosaur by a later study | ||
| Plataleorhynchus | Howse & Milner | 1995 | Valid | Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous | ( |
Had a distinctive spoonbill-like beak with a rounded tip | |
| Prejanopterus | Vidarte & Calvo | 2010 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had a bent snout contrasting with the straight lower jaw | ||
| Preondactylus | Wild | 1984 | Valid | Late Triassic | Was capable of developed flight despite having short wings | ||
| "Pricesaurus" | Martins-Neto | 1986 | Nomen nudum | N/A | N/A | A synonym of Anhanguera | |
| Propterodactylus | Spindler | 2024 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Had been nicknamed the "Painten pro-pterodactyloid" before its formal description | ||
| Ptenodactylus | Seeley | 1869 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied name, referred to multiple pterosaur taxa | |
| Ptenodracon | Lydekker | 1888 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Pterodactylus | |
| Pteranodon | Marsh | 1876 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Multiple remains have been discovered, which make it one of the best known pterosaurs. Two species are known today, each with a different crest shape in adult males | ||
| Ptéro-dactyle | Cuvier | 1809 | Invalid | N/A | N/A | Renamed Pterodactylus | |
| Pterodactylus | Cuvier | 1809 | Valid | Late Jurassic | The first valid pterosaur genus known to science | ||
| Pterodaustro | Bonaparte | 1970 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Had bristle-like teeth in the lower jaws, an adaptation for filter-feeding | ||
| Pterofiltrus | Jiang & Wang | 2011 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Possessed a very elongated skull | ||
| Pteromonodactylus | Teryaev | 1967 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Rhamphorhynchus | |
| Pterorhynchus | Czerkas & Ji | 2002 | Valid | Middle Jurassic | Had both a low bony base and a large keratin extension forming its crest, a trait relatively unique among basal pterosaurs | ||
| Pterotherium | Fischer | 1813 | Jr. synonym | N/A | N/A | Junior synonym of Pterodactylus | |
| Puntanipterus | Bonaparte & Sánchez | 1975 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Has been thought to be a probable junior synonym of Pterodaustro, but it was found to be in fact a valid dsungaripterid | ||
| Qinglongopterus | Lü et al. | 2012 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | Mostly similar to Rhamphorhynchus but with shorter wings and a smaller skull | ||
| Quetzalcoatlus | Lawson | 1975 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | One of the largest and last known pterosaurs | ||
| Radiodactylus | Andres & Myers | 2013 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | May be the sister taxon to the Azhdarchidae | ||
| Raeticodactylus | Stecher | 2008 | Valid | Late Triassic | Had been suggested to be a synonym of the contemporary Caviramus | ||
| Rexarthuria | Thomas & McDavid | 2026 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Formally described after years of complicated taxonomy | |
| Rhabdopelix | Cope | 1870 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | At first thought to be a Triassic pterosaur, but it is now known to be, at least in part, a kuehneosaurid | |
| Rhamphinion | Padian | 1984 | Valid | Early Jurassic | Fragmentary fossils discovered in the United Kingdom initially attributed to the taxon have been found to actually come from a rhamphorhynchid | ||
| Rhamphocephalus | Seeley | 1880 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Later reassigned to the Thalattosuchia | |
| Rhamphorhynchus | Meyer | 1846 | Valid | Late Jurassic | ( |
Known from many fossil specimens, some even preserving soft-tissue impressions | |
| Samrukia | Naish et al. | 2012 | Valid? | Late Cretaceous | Known only from a lower jaw once thought to belong to a bird. Possible synonym of Aralazhdarcho | ||
| Santanadactylus | De Buisonjé | 1980 | Dubious? | Early Cretaceous | Would have been very large. Four species were named although they have been considered unrelated to each other | ||
| Saratovia | Averianov | 2025 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | One of the latest-surviving toothed pterosaurs | ||
| Scaphognathus | Wagner | 1861 | Valid | Late Jurassic | May have had diurnal habits unlike some other contemporary pterosaurs, which are suggested to be nocturnal | ||
| Seazzadactylus | Dalla Vecchia | 2019 | Valid | Late Triassic | Had an exclamation mark-shaped pteroid bone | ||
| Sericipterus | Andres et al. | 2010 | Valid | Late Jurassic | A close relative of Angustinaripterus | ||
| Serradraco | Rigal et al. | 2018 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Described as a possible lonchodectid, but a later analysis has suggested it was not a member of that family | |
| Shenzhoupterus | Lü et al. | 2008 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Can be distinguished by the arched head crest | ||
| Simurghia | Longrich et al. | 2018 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Similar to the contemporary Alcione, although it is not represented by an adult | ||
| Sinomacrops | Wei et al. | 2021 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | Various bone tissue fragments have been lost as a result of their extremely fragile condition | ||
| Sinopterus | Wang & Zhou | 2003 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | A specimen reported in 2025 had gastroliths and phytoliths preserved in its stomach cavity, indicating an evidence for a herbivorous diet | ||
| Siroccopteryx | Mader & Kellner | 1999 | Valid? | Late Cretaceous | Some researchers regard it as a probable junior synonym of Coloborhynchus | ||
| Skiphosoura | Hone et al. | 2024 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Transitional between basal pterosaurs and later pterodactyloids | ||
| Sordes | Sharov | 1971 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Its tail comprised over half of the total body length | ||
| Spathagnathus | Fernandes et al. | 2025 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Unusually, its teeth were adapted for a diet of shelled prey items | ||
| Sultanuvaisia | Nessov | 1981 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Has been found to be actually a fish | |
| Tacuadactylus | Soto et al. | 2021 | Valid | Late Jurassic | The holotype snout was formerly misidentified as belonging to a sawfish | ||
| Tapejara | Kellner | 1989 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Possessed a semicircular crest above its snout and a bony projection at the back of the head | ||
| Targaryendraco | Pêgas et al. | 2019 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Originally named as a species of Ornithocheirus | ||
| Tendaguripterus | Unwin & Heinrich | 1999 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Inconsistent in phylogenetic placement | ||
| Tethydraco | Longrich et al. | 2018 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | One study regarded it as an azhdarchid possibly synonymous with Phosphatodraco. However, this has been cast into doubt by subsequent research | ||
| Thalassodromeus | Kellner & Campos | 2002 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | At first believed to have fed like extant skimmers, but it was found to have possessed strong jaw muscles, suggesting a ground foraging lifestyle | ||
| Thanatosdrakon | Ortiz David et al. | 2022 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | May be the largest pterosaur of the Southern Hemisphere | ||
| Thapunngaka | Richards et al. | 2021 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Its lower jaw is very similar to that of Anhanguera piscator | ||
| Titanopteryx | Arambourg | 1959 | Preoccupied | N/A | N/A | Preoccupied by a simuliid blackfly, later renamed Arambourgiania | |
| Torukjara | Pêgas | 2024 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Remains originally identified as Caiuajara | ||
| Tribelesodon | Bassani | 1886 | Misidentification | N/A | N/A | Now known to be a misinterpreted specimen of the archosauromorph Tanystropheus | |
| Tropeognathus | Wellnhofer | 1987 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | One of the largest South American pterosaurs, with some azhdarchids rivaling it in size | ||
| Tsogtopteryx | Pêgas et al. | 2025 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Small for an azhdarchid despite being fully grown | ||
| Tupandactylus | Kellner & Campos | 2007 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | One specimen of T. imperator preserves pigment cells similar to those found in birds, as well as likely Stage IIIa feathers | ||
| Tupuxuara | Kellner & Campos | 1988 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Two valid species are known, eaching differing from each other in the crest morphology | ||
| Tylodorhynchus | Pêgas & Holgado | 2026 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Once named as a European species of Uktenadactylus | |
| Uktenadactylus | Rodrigues & Kellner | 2009 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Formerly referred to Coloborhynchus | ||
| Unwindia | Martill | 2011 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Its snout was triangular in cross-section | ||
| Utahdactylus | Czerkas & Mickelson | 2002 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Once considered indeterminate within the Diapsida | ||
| Vectidraco | Naish et al. | 2013 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Its ilium was distinctively pneumatized | |
| Vesperopterylus | Lü et al. | 2017 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Noted for having a reversed first toe, likely suggesting an arboreal lifestyle | ||
| Volgadraco | Averianov et al. | 2008 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Some studies have proposed a nyctosaurid, pteranodontid, or basal pteranodontoid placement for this genus. However, a 2026 review restricted the taxon to the type snout and recovered it in the Azhdarchidae, supporting its original description | ||
| Wellnhopterus | Andres & Langston Jr. | 2021 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Would have hunted its prey in a raptorial manner as indicated by the blunt jaws and proportionally short neck | ||
| Wenupteryx | Codorniú & Gasparini | 2013 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Possibly allied to the archaeopterodactyloids | ||
| Wightia | Martill et al. | 2020 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | ( |
Known from damaged partial premaxillae | |
| Wukongopterus | Wang et al. | 2009 | Valid | Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic | The holotype may have broken its shin before its death | ||
| "Wyomingopteryx" | Bakker | 1994 | Nomen nudum | N/A | N/A | Likely intended to be coined for a pterosaur specimen with similarities to Istiodactylus | |
| Xericeps | Martill et al. | 2017 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Possessed a unique forceps-like beak | ||
| Yelaphomte | Martínez et al. | 2022 | Valid | Late Triassic | Had a tall, narrow bony crest similar to that of Raeticodactylus and Austriadactylus | ||
| Yixianopterus | Lü et al. | 2006 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Known from a single, partially-preserved individual | ||
| Zhejiangopterus | Cai & Wei | 1994 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Four specimens have been described so far | ||
| Zhenyuanopterus | Lü | 2010 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Has been claimed to be the adult form of Boreopterus | ||
| Genus | Authors | Year | Status | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agadirichnus | Ambroggi & Lapparent | 1954 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | The first pterosaur ichnogenus ever named | ||
| Haenamichnus | Hwang et al. | 2002 | Valid | Late Cretaceous | Likely made by azhdarchids | ||
| Jinjuichnus | Jung et al. | 2026 | Valid | Early Cretaceous | Preserved next to a trackway made by a small vertebrate, which indicates the trackmaker, probably a neoazhdarchian, was attempting to hunt the smaller animal | ||
| Pteraichnus | Stokes | 1957 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Asia Europe North America |
Some tracks attributed to this ichnogenus have been considered crocodilian in origin by some scientists. However, recent studies have overturned those thoughts | |
| Purbeckopus | Delair | 1963 | Dubious | Early Cretaceous | ( |
May have been made by a relatively large pterosaur | |
| Rhamphichnus | Mazin & Pouech | 2020 | Valid | Late Jurassic | Europe | Made by non-pterodactyloid pterosaurs |
Although pterosaur eggs are known, some with complete embryos, no oogenera have been erected to house them. The holotype of the oospecies Oolithes sphaericus was briefly considered by Harry Govier Seeley to be pterosaurian in origin, although this attribution was dismissed before the formal erection of that oogenus.
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