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Sounds like some kind of nightmare." |
- « "Pterodactyloid Pterosaur. It's probably a Pteranodon." »
- — Nick Cutter describing a Pteranodon[src]
Pteranodon was a large pterosaur from the Cretaceous period.
Characteristics[]
Pteranodon was a large flying reptile with a wingspan of 6 to 8 metres (20-26 feet), and were excellent fliers and gliders. Some Pteranodons possessed a diet of fish and small reptiles, and therefore were normally passive towards humans), but would swiftly and efficiently pursue fish and reptiles on ground or in the air. (Episode 1.5)
A Pteranodon nest with two eggs. (Episode 2.2)
Pteranodon was fiercely defensive of their nests and territory, attacking any intruders including humans which entered or even came near their nests. They build basic nests from sticks on the ground. (Episode 2.2, 3.10) Pteranodon also regarded the colour red as a sign of another Pteranodon of the opposite sex, and were therefore attracted to the colour upon seeing it so as to mate with what they believed to be the other Pteranodon. (Episode 1.5)
Incursions and encounters[]
The Pteranodon resting on a roof top. (Episode 1.5)
Episode 1.5[]
A Pteranodon came through an Anomaly to the Forest Heights Country Club golf course in the present. Initially, it was incorrectly blamed by the Home Office Anomaly research team for Andy's death, but in reality it was a flock of Anurognathus.
Stephen Hart noticed the Pteranodon swooping down at Nick Cutter, Abby Maitland and himself. Fortunately for them all, they ducked and evaded the creature. Cutter observed the Pteranodon until he caught sight of Connor Temple and Rex on the golf course. The Pteranodon then chased Connor and Rex (it was actually trying to eat just Rex) but the pair managed to escape and the Pteranodon flew off.
The Pteranodon taking to the skies shortly after waking up. (Episode 1.5)
The Home Office team tracked down the Pteranodon which was now in the city. Stephen, Cutter and Claudia Brown found it roosting on a roof top. Stephen attempted to tranquilise it but the Pteranodon flew away. Using Stephen's red shirt as a flag, Cutter lured the creature towards them. As the Pteranodon approached them, Stephen tranquilised it. As it came tumbling down, it cornered Claudia at the edge of the roof top and then knocked her out with its beak.
Later, the Home Office team attempted to return the tranquilised Pteranodon back through the Anomaly by using a red flag. As the Pteranodon got up and took to the sky, it flew in the opposite direction. However, the flag lured the Pteranodon back through the Anomaly moments before closing.
A Pteranodon in the Cretaceous attacking Helen Cutter for entering its nest. (Episode 2.2)
Episode 2.2[]
In a desert in the Cretaceous, Helen Cutter attempted to steal a Pteranodon egg to eat. However, the parent Pteranodon attacked her, causing her to bump her head. Helen then stabbed the creature with a knife and the Pteranodon flew away in pain.
Episode 3.10[]
Four Pteranodon's were seen flying above a Cretaceous forest. One swooped Helen when she ran near its nest while trying to reach an Anomaly.
Other references[]
A Pteranodon picture (Episode 1.1).
Episode 1.1[]
Connor Temple included Pteranodon in his database of prehistoric creatures. Ben Trent also had several Pteranodon toys in his bedroom.
Real life[]
Pteranodon (name meaning "wing without tooth") was a pterosaur genus, which existed from 86 to 84.5 million years ago, and included some of the largest ever flying reptiles known. Female Pteranodon had a wingspan of 12 feet (3.8 metres), and the larger male Pteranodon had a wingspan of 18 feet (5.6 metres). Pteranodon were notable and distinguishable for possessing slender, pointed, toothless beaks among a few other characteristics. Approximately 1,200 Pteranodon specimen remains have been discovered. Pteranodon was found in parts of North America such as what is now Alabama, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming.
Trivia[]
- Though it is unconfirmed, fans have speculated that the pterosaurs seen in Episode 1.3, 4.1 and Eye Strain were Pteranodons. However, the pterosaur from Eye Strain had teeth, while Pteranodon had a toothless beak, and its name literally means winged toothless in Greek.
- Paleontologist Dr. Dave Hone notably praised the design of the Pteranodon in Primeval describing it as "beautiful" and stating that it was "far better than the Jurassic Park effort".[1]
Errors[]
- In Episode 1.5, Pteranodon and Anurognathus both came through the same Anomaly, but in real life, the two species lived in different time periods to one another; Anurognathus in the Jurassic, and Pteranodon in the Cretaceous. Some fans have speculated that the Pteranodon, before travelling through the golf course Anomaly, may have previously come through another Anomaly from the Cretaceous to the Jurassic, or the Anurognathus through an Anomaly from the Jurassic into the Cretaceous.
- Pteranodon is portrayed in Primeval as being scaly, but it has been proven that most if not all pterosaurs are covered in fur-like down. The New World Pteranodon, at least, is shown to have small patches of down on its back, but still not nearly enough as it should have.
- Pteranodon is portrayed as being bipedal, something that pterosaurs could not have been in real life as most of their weight was centred towards the front, causing them to walk on all fours; however there has been a trackway discovered that shows that at least some large pterosaurs could walk on their hind legs (but probably not Pteranodon).
- Pteranodon was depicted in Episode 2x2 and 3.10 as nesting on the ground; it is unlikely that Pteranodon did this in real life, as ground nests would have been easy targets for most ground predators of Pteranodon's time, and it was more likely that Pteranodon nested up on high cliffs by the coast where it could fish rather than on the forest floor.
References[]
- ↑ Hone, Dave. Pterosaurs in Popular Culture. pterosaur.net