Azhdarchidae (from
اژدرها (Aždarha), the
Persian word for dragon) is a
family of
pterosaurs known primarily from the late
Cretaceous Period, though an isolated vertebra apparently from an azhdarchid is known from the early Cretaceous as well (late
Berriasian age, about 140Ma ago). Azhdarchids included some of the largest known flying animals of all time. Originally considered a sub-family of
Pteranodontidae, Nesov (1984) named the azhdarchinae to include the pterosaurs
Azhdarcho,
Quetzalcoatlus, and "Titanopteryx" (now known as
Arambourgiania). They were among the last known surviving members of the pterosaurs, and were a rather successful group with a worldwide distribution. By the time of the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, most pterosaur families except for the Azhdarchidae disappear from the fossil reccord, but recent studies indicate a wealth in pterosaurian faunas, including
pteranodontids,
nyctosaurids,
tapejarids and several indeterminate forms. Some taxa like
Navajodactylus,
Bakonydraco and
Montanazhdarcho were moved from Azhdarchidae to other clades.
