Dragons of The Past

Once upon a time dragons ruled the world. Or did they? Ancient animals such as dinosaurs and pterosaurs once roamed the Earth, and today are partially responsible for the dragons we know and love. Dragons can be found anywhere, anytime. Even the mysterious beasts from out past have a little dragon in them. These creatures of the past share many of the traits we associate with dragons, and are often used as reference or inspiration for artists.

Dragons of The Past: Education

Albadraco tharmisensis

Artist: Joshua Tedder

Late Cretaceous

Hateg Island

"Dragon of Alba"

This ancient beast was described in 2019 by Alexandru Solomon and his colleagues using two fragments of the upper and lower jaw. The wingspan is estimated to be roughly twenty feet long, coming into a smaller to medium-sized pterosaur. Albadraco may have been the top predator of its area, with Hateg Island having a range of smaller creatures than other areas, with no other larger animal remains being found there.

Argentinadraco barrealensis

Photograph: Alexander W.A. Kellner and Jorge O. Calvo

Late Cretaceous

Argentina

"Dragon of Argentina"

Contaning only a single species, this pterosaur was about the size of a large dog, with it's wingspan measuring roughly eight to ten feet long. Currently, paleontologists are unable to put it to a specific family of pterosaurs, and resides in azhdarchidae for now.

analong_by_cisiopurple_dduiqaf-fullview.

Analong chuanjieensis

Artist: cisiopurple.deviantart.com

Middle Jurassic

Chuanjie Formation, Yunnan, China

"Ana Dragon from Chuanjie"

Part of the Mamenchisauridae family, this sauropodomorph was originally discovered in 1995, described in 2011, and later reassessed in 2020.

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Anhuilong diboensis

Artist: cisiopurple.deviantart.com

Middle Jurassic

Anhui, China

Very little is known about this dinosaur. A single specimen containing the left forelimb was found in 2020.

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Aussiedraco molnari

Photograph: Aussiedraco holotype

Early Cretaceous

Australia

"Ralph Molnar's Dragon of Australia"

This small pterosaur was first discovered in the late 1970's and later described in 1980 by Tony Thulborn and Ralph Molnar. It wasn't given the name Aussiedraco molnari until 2011, being named after Ralph Molnar. A. molnari is known from a single specimen, and contains only a single species to the Aussiedraco name. It's wingspan was three to three and a half feet long, and it's beak contained small teeth that oointed slightly outwards.

Austriadraco dallavecchiai

Photograph: Alexander W.A. Kellner

Late Triassic

Austria

"Dragon of Austria"

Discovered in 1994 it was identified in 2003 as being a Eudimorphodon, being considered a juvenile E. ranzii. It wasn't until 2009 that it was conclded to not be either a juvenile or a E. ranzii. In 2015 the species was officially named by Alexander Kellner. The species itself was very small, with a wingspan of roughly two and a hlaf feet.

Bakonydraco galaczi

Photograph: Bakonydraco holotype

Late Cretaceous

Brazil

"Dragon of Bakony"

Bakonydraco was a large, crested pterosaur if the Tapejaridae family. This large creature had a very narrow beak, leading scientist to believe that it ate fish when it was alive. It's wingspan was approximately eleven to thirteen feet long, making it one of the more medium sized members of it's family.

Beishanlong grandis

Artist: cisiopurple.deviantart.com

Early Cretaceous

China

"Dragon of Beishan"

Originally discovered in 2009, the only specimen to be found is suspected to be a juvenile. Just under ten feet in length and ten feet tall, it was one of the largest of the deinocherid dinosaurs.

Bolong yixianensis

Artist: cisiopurple.deviantart.com

Early Creaceous

China

"Small Dragon"

Discovered in 2010. this dinosaur is still under study. What is known is that it appeared similar to duck billed dinosaurs.

Cryodrakon boreas

Artist: David Mass

Late Cretaceous

Alberta, Canada

"Cold Dragon"

Not much smaller than the famed Quetzalcoatlus, this ancient beast stood well over people and rivaled giraffes. Their wingspan has been estimated to be thirty-three feet long. Originally discovered in the 1970s, Cryodrakon was described in 2019.

Datanglong

Artist: cisiopurple.deviantart.com

Early Cretaceous

Southwestern China

"Dragon of Datang"

Discovered in 2011, the scant fossils of the one specimen was named and described in 2014. It is a member of teh Carcharodontids, and was discovered in the Datang Basin. Theoriginal specimen contains some vertibrea and hip bones, making it easier to identify from others depending on the shape of those bones. It's estimated to have been roughly twenty three to twenty six feet long.

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Dawndraco kanzai

Photograph: Dawndraco holotype

Late Cretaceous
Niobrara Formation
"Dawn Dragon"

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Dracorex hogwartsia

Photograph: Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Late Cretaceous
South Dakota, USA
"Dragon King of Hogwarts"

Dilong paradoxus

Holotype IVPP 14243

Lower Cretaceous

Yixian Formation

"Emperor Dragon"

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Ferrodraco lentoni

Photograph: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-49789-4

Late Cretaceous
Australia
"Iron Dragon"

Guanglong wucaii

Photograph: IVPP

Late Jurassic
Jugar Basin, North-West China
"Crown Dragon"

Guidraco venator

Photograph: Ghedoghedo/Wikipedia

Early Cretaceous
Jiufotang Formation
"Malicious Ghost Dragon"

Ikrandraco

Photograph: Morosaurus millenii/Wikipedia

Early Cretaceous
Jiufotang Formation
"Ikran Dragon"

Keresdrakon vilsoni

Photograph: "A new toothless pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea) from Southern Brazil with insights into the paleoecology of a Cretaceous desert"

Late Cretaceous
Goio-Ere Formation
"Evil Spirit Dragon"

Kryptodrakon progenator

Artist: Midiaou Diallo

Middle Jurassic

Xinjiang, China

"Hidden Dragon"

With only a single partially complete specimen, Brian Andres, James Clark, and Xing Xu described Kryptodrakon in 2014 after being discovered in 2001. It was discovered in Xinjiang, China by Chris Sloan. This pterosaur had an estimated wingspan of five feet long. It is unknown what sort of diet it may have had since the head has not yet been discovered. It has been recognized as a pterodactyloid, having a shorter tail, long hands, and a long neck. Knowing this, it most likely also had a long head as is typical of pterodactyloids.

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Lingwulong shenqi

Photograph: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05128-1

Early Jurassic
Lingwu, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui, China
"Dragon of Lingwu"

Lonchodraco giganteus

Artist: Franz Anthony

Early Cretaceous

Cambridge Greensand Formation

"Lance Dragon"

Described from a single specimen of an upper and lower jaw, this pterosaur was described in 2013 by Taissa Rodrigues1 and Alexander Wilhelm Armin Kellner. There are two other species under the genus of Lonchodraco, those being L. machaerorynchus and L. microdon. The genus falls under Lonchodraconidae, and are characterized by long thin snouts, heavy duty teeth, and a strong inner formation to their mouth. All four specimens are rather small, falling between 0.8 and 3 inches long, each one being a piece of the jaw.

Mei long

Photograph: Bruce McAdam

Early Cretaceous
Yixiang Formation, Lioaning, China
"Sleeping Dragon"

Pantydraco caducus

Artist: Nobu Tamura

Late Triassic Early Jurassic
Bonvilston, South Wales
"Dragon of the Valley of the Spring"

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Phosphatodraco

Artist: Joschua Knüppe

Late Cretaceous

Khouribga Phosphates

"Phosphate Dragon"

Named after the phosphates of Morrocco, this large pterosaur was discovered in 2000 and described in 2018 by Nick Longrich and his colleagues. It was estimated to have a wingspan of 16.4 feet in length. The original specimen consists of several well-preserved vertebrae from the neck found in a phosphate slab. It falls under the Azhdarchidae, and has a long neck, large head and hands, and a short tail.

Quetzalcoatlus

Photograph: https://www.goodfreephotos.com/

Late Cretaceous
Lancian formations of North America
"Feathered Serpent"

Qiaowanlong

Artist: cisiopurple.deviantart.com

Early Cretaceous
Yukinzi Basin, China
"Dragon of Qiaowan"

Qijianglong guokr

Photograph: Qijiang Museum

Late Jurassic to Mid Cretaceous
Sechuan, Qijian Province, China
"Dragon of Qijiang"

Qiupalong henanensis

Photograph: Holotype from the Henan Geological Museum, Zhengzhou, China

Late Cretaceous
Qiupa Formation, Henan Province, China
"Dragon of Qiupa"

Serradraco sagittirostris

Artist: Carl Ludolph Griesbach

Early Cretaceous
England
"Saw Dragon"

Shaochilong maortuensis

Artist: Michael B. H.

Shaochilong feeding on Sinornithomimus

Middle Cretaceous
Ulansuhai Formation, China
"Shark Toothed Dragon"

Taohelong jinchengensis

Photograph: Yang Jing-Tao, You Hai-Lu, Li Da-Qing, and Kong De-Lai

Early Cretaceous

Lanzhou-Minhe Basin, Jincheng Province, China

"Dragon of the River"

Described as the first palocanthine ankylosaur from China, this armored dinosaur was (size).

Thalassodraco etches

Photograph: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0241700

Late Jurassic
Kimmeridge Clay Formation, England
"Sea Dragon"

Targaryendraco

Artist: Vitor Silva

Early Cretaceous
England
"Targaryen Dragon"

Tethydraco regalis

Artist: Joschua Knüppe

Late Cretaceous
Khouribga Phosphates
"Royal Dragon"

Tiangyulong confuciusi

Photograph: BleachedRice/Wikipedia

Early Cretaceous
Jianchang, Liaoning Province, China
"Dragon of Tiangyu"

Vectidraco daisymorrisae

Photograph: Darren Naish mail, Martin Simpson, Gareth Dyke

Early Cretaceous

England

"Dragon from the Isle of Wight"

Initially discovered in 2008 by a young four-year-old girl named Daisy Morris, the specimen was described in 2013 by Darren Naish, Martin Simpson, and Gareth Dyke. This pterosaur was very small, with it's pelvis being four centimeters long and an estimated wingspan of seventy-five centimeters wide.

Wulong bohaiensis

Photograph: Ashely Poust

Early Cretaceous

Jiufotang Formation, Liaoning Province, China

"Dancing Dragon"

Not much is known about this fossil, as it is a more recent find. This fossil was first found by a farmer in China, and was described in 2020. The fossil is estimated to be a juvenile, with a nearly complete skeleton intact.