Pteranodon was a large pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period, around 85 million years ago. Despite often being grouped with dinosaurs, pterosaurs were a separate but related group of flying reptiles. While they did not have feathers like birds and some dinosaurs, some pterosaurs were covered in hair-like structures called “pycnofibers”.

Pteranodon was the first pterosaur discovery in the United States, and the first pterosaur to be found in any location other than Europe. Prior to Pteranodon's discovery, all pterosaurs known to science had teeth. Pteranodon’s distinctive crest actually varied greatly in size among the known specimens, leading scientists to believe that it likely was used for display, rather than any practical function.