Pteranodon Wing Bone | Grove County, Kansas

Bone size approx: 15" length × 6" at tallest area

This Pteranodon wing bone specimen, still in the jacket cast, from Kansas represents a remarkable fossil discovery. Characterized by its impressive 20-foot wingspan and large, distinctive head crest the Pteranodon was a giant, toothless flying reptile whose hollow, air-filled wing bones facilitated efficient flight. This beautiful specimen originates from the Smoky Hill Chalk deposits in Gove County, Kansas, renowned for yielding exceptionally preserved fossils. Typically, Pteranodon wing bones are found within the Niobrara Formation, a Cretaceous conservation Lagerstätte estimated to be approximately 80 million years old. The distinctive wing morphology of Pteranodon, featuring an elongated fourth finger, enabled the species to engage in sustained soaring and gliding flight. Designated the official Kansas state flying fossil in 2014, Pteranodon fossils are highly valued by both scientific researchers and collectors.