Allosaurus vs Pteranodon
A detailed side-by-side comparison of Allosaurus and Pteranodon, covering size, diet, classification, geologic period, and discovery history.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Property | Allosaurus | Pteranodon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Allosaurus fragilis | Pteranodon longiceps |
| Classification | Theropoda | Theropoda |
| Period | Jurassic Late | Cretaceous Late |
| Diet | Carnivore | Piscivore |
| Length | 9.7 m | 1.8 m |
| Height | 3.5 m | 0.6 m |
| Weight | 2.3 t | 25 kg |
| Discovery Year | 1877 | 1876 |
| Discovery Location | Garden Park, Colorado, USA | Smoky Hill Chalk, Kansas, USA |
| Named By | Othniel Charles Marsh | Othniel Charles Marsh |
Size Comparison
roughly the length of a large SUV
about the size of a human adult
Weight Comparison
comparable to 2.3 small cars
lighter than a human adult
Timeline Comparison
Diet Comparison
Allosaurus
CarnivoreAllosaurus was a meat-eating predator, hunting other animals for food.
Pteranodon
PiscivorePteranodon was a fish-eater, specialized in catching aquatic prey.
Classification Comparison
Allosaurus
Pteranodon
Both dinosaurs share a common ancestor within the Theropoda clade.
Did You Know?
Allosaurus was about 5.4x longer than Pteranodon.
Allosaurus weighed roughly 92x more than Pteranodon.
Allosaurus was a carnivore while Pteranodon was a piscivore.
Allosaurus lived during the Jurassic Late while Pteranodon lived during the Cretaceous Late, separated by roughly 44 million years.
Pteranodon was discovered 1 years earlier, in 1876.
Both belong to the Theropoda clade, making them relatively close relatives.