Pterosaurs, extinct flying archosaurs with a fossil record that extends from the Late Triassic to the terminal Cretaceous, were the first powered-flying vertebrates, appearing much earlier than birds, the only other archosaurs capable of powered-flight1,2,3. The most undersized known individuals, likely to be hatchlings but flight capable, had wingspans of only 0.175 m, while the largest had a wingspan of 10 m4. These flying reptiles were a principal component of the Mesozoic ecosystems5.