| Infernodrakon Temporal range: Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian), 68–66Ma | |
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| Artist's Illustration (Kim Sang-jin) of Infernodrakon hastacollis eating an infant Tyrannosaurus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Sauropsida |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Family: | †Azhdarchidae |
| Genus: | †Infernodrakon Thomas et al, 2015 |
| Type species | |
| †Infernodrakon hastacollis Thomas et al, 2025 | |
Infernodrakon (meaning dragon from hell) is an extinct genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived in the Late Cretaceous of Montana, U.S. The type species is Infernodrakon hastacollis.
Discovery and Naming[]
In 2002, an immature Tyrannosaurus remains were recovered from strata belonging to Hell Creek Formation. Alongside of that, there was fifth neck vertebra of azhdarchid petrosaur. It was originally assigned to Quetzalcoatlus sp. In 2014, Alexander Averianov identified it as an indeterminate azhdarchid. In 2021, Brain Andres and Wann Langston Jr. Classified the holotype (BMR P2002.2) as an indeterminate azhdarchiform. In 2025, Henry Thomas, David W.E. Hone, Timothy Gomes, and Joseph E. Peterson reexamined the specimen, and determined that it is more close to Arambourgiania than Quetzalcoatlus. The authors designated it as a new genus, Infernodrakon hastacollis. The generic name combines Italian word inferno (meaning hell) to drakon (meaning dragon), while the specific name combines "hasta", a type of spear that the Romans used, with collum (meaning neck).
Description[]
Skeletal of known Infernodrakon material by Brennon Valdez
The vertebra is 35cm (14in) long. The bone is extremely elongated and gracile. The wingspan is close to 4.15m (13.6ft). The wingspan is likely comparable to Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni and Zhejiangopterus. The other feature is the presence of accessory pneumatic foramen being dorsal to the opening of the posterior neural canal. Additionally, the size of the anterior neural canal opening is significantly larger than other azhdarchids.
Classification[]
It is classified as a member of azhdarchidae. The sister taxon of it is Arambourgiania.
Paleoecology[]
It lived with Triceratops, Denversaurus, Sphaerotholus, and others in the Hell Creek Formation and hunted small prey.
In popular culture[]
- Infernodrakon appeared in Walking with Dinosaurs.
Gallery[]
