abstract | - Geosternbergia was among the largest pterosaurs, with the wingspan of most adults ranging between 3 and 6 meters (9.8–19.6 ft). While most specimens are found crushed, enough fossils exist to put together a detailed description of the animal. Geosternbergia is distinguished from Pteranodon mainly by its upright-crest. The lower jaw of G. sternbergi was 1.25 meters (4 ft) long.[1] The most distinctive characteristic of Geosternbergia is its cranial crest. These crests consisted of skull bones (frontals) projecting upward and backward from the skull. The size and shape of these crests varied due to a number of factors, including age, gender, and species. Male G. sternbergi, the older species of the two described to date, had a larger vertical crest with a broad forward projection, while G. maysei had a short, rounded vertical crest and was generally smaller.[2] Females of both species were smaller and bore small, rounded crests.[3] The crests were probably mainly display structures, though they may have had other functions as well.
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