Fun Guidraco Facts For Kids

The Guidraco is one of the most popular dinosaurs - and not because of the research done on it! This is because it has featured in a number of media - such as movies, TV shows, and most popularly - 'Jurassic Park.'

This is one of the most prominently seen dinosaur birds in the series and has featured in a lot of other media too.

The Guidraco is the standard bird dinosaur - with long wings made of thin skin, small claws, and a lightly feathered tail to help them maneuver across the prehistoric skies.

It is not one of the biggest birds around, but with good reason. It spent most of its life up in the air, and if it had been too heavy, flight would not have been possible.

If you would like to gain new information and learn many a new fact about the look, life, and diet of a number of new or similar dinosaurs, all you have to do is check out Puertasaurus and Metriorhynchus. Happy reading, and do not forget to share these facts with your friends!

Guidraco Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Guidraco'?

The word Guidraco is pronounced at 'Gwe-dra-ko'.

What type of dinosaur was a Guidraco?

Guidraco venator (malicious ghost dragon) is a toothed pterodactyloid pterosaur in Liaoning Province (northeast China) during the Early Cretaceous period.

In which geological period did the Guidraco roam the Earth?

Guidraco venator, the Pterosaur of northeast China, existed 120 mya during the Early Cretaceous period. This meant it coexisted with several small and medium-sized pterosaurs with different behaviors and lifestyles.

Pterosaurs are dinosaurs that have a close bond with one another. However, the important context here is the resemblance to Ludodactylus, a pterosaur known solely from South America, namely Brazil, at the time of description.

When did the Guidraco become extinct?

The most well-known mass extinctions occurred around 65 million years ago, towards the end of the Cretaceous. This is usually when this flying reptile is said to have died off.

Where did a Guidraco live?

The first Guidraco fossil was found in 2012. It was discovered in the Jiufotang Formation near Lingyuan City (Liaoning Province) and dates from the Aptian period of the Early Cretaceous, roughly 120 mya.

What was a Guidraco's habitat?

Because of the anterior teeth placement, which is both elongated and inclined to point forwards, Guidraco venator is likely a piscivore (fish-eating animal). This configuration generates a large catch surface of needle-like teeth, increasing the pterosaur's chances of catching and holding sliding prey like fish.

In addition, it has been proposed that pterosaurs living next to waterways could float and plunge-dive by propelling themselves through the depths using their wings.

Who did a Guidraco live with?

Paleontologists have found only one specimen. Hence it is assumed that these pterosaurs did not live in packs and preferred to be alone.

How long did a Guidraco live?

Guidraco venatordinosaurs survived from the Aptian Age through 113 million years ago. According to recent research, this pterosaur dinosaur is a member of the group Anhanguerinae. 

How did they reproduce?

This recent or new-found pterosaur, flying reptile, was oviparous and reproduced by laying eggs like other dinosaurs, whose head crest was similar to the Ludodactylus.

In fact, these dinosaurs' head crests could have been used not just to attract a partner but also to identify other pterosaurs of their own genus during a time whenever the skies would have been filled with many different kinds of pterosaurs.

Guidraco Fun Facts

What did a Guidraco look like?

The holotype of T Rex Guidraco skull measures 15 in (38 cm) in length, and the Guidraco wingspan was between 13-16 ft (4-4.8 m). There is no crest on the snout.

The crest of the skull roof leans forwards due to the tilting of the roof, and its base reaches the back of the roof.

The first four teeth are enormous. A sequence of three moderate straight teeth follows, followed by 11 progressively smaller pieces for 82 teeth in the head.

The beak is closed in the fossil, and the front teeth protrude far beyond the top and bottom margins of the head due to their enormous length.

The teeth are separated into two categories based on their structure: the upper jaw's first nine and the lower jaw's eight teeth have vertical ridges on the back of the enamel. The vertebrae of the neck are somewhat elongated, keeled, and have wide pneumatic apertures on their sides, allowing the neck's air sac to access their empty interiors.

How many bones did a Guidraco have?

The CollectA Guidraco pterosaur is from an articulated incomplete skeleton comprising a nearly intact skull, inferior jaws, and few cervical vertebrae. Since there is no accountability for the complete skeleton of these pterosaurs, it is impossible to deduce how many bones they had.

How did they communicate?

The description of these animals' communication is unknown due to a lack of investigation.

How big was a Guidraco?

The Guidraco size was measured up to 10 in (25.4 cm). On the other hand, the Austroraptor length measured between  16.4-19.7 ft (5-6 m).

How fast could a Guidraco move?

These pterosaurs, known for the nice skull, do not have the capacity to run fat with small legs, but they may fly short distances due to their large wings.

How much did a Guidraco weigh?

The weight of these dinosaurs, which may-fly and having a close relationship with other pterosaur dinosaurs, was about 26.45 lb (12 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

The male and female of these recent or new genetic dinosaurs, whose head was a keratinous epidermis casque and had close similarities with early Cretaceous pterosaur, have no special name.

What would you call a baby Guidraco?

The Guidraco baby dinosaurs, having several thin and long teeth with a good skull and possessed flying capabilities, don't have any specific name.

What did they eat?

Tyrannosaurus Guidraco venator is a very violent fish-eating pterosaur. Its teeth, which expand, lengthen, and extend all the way around its beak, may grab fish in the water just like a fishing net. It eats other small animals, like Microraptor, on occasion.

How aggressive were they?

Due to a lack of research into these pterosaurs, it is impossible to determine if they were aggressive. However, since they were predator animals, it is assumed they did have some level of aggression.

Did you know...

The name Guidraco is a mix of the Chinese 'Gui,' meaning 'malicious ghost' and the Latin name 'draco,' which means 'dragon.' The species name, venator, means 'hunter.' When combined with the genus name, Guidraco venator is formed, which means 'ghost dragon hunter.'

According to a phylogenetic study, it is the sibling taxon of the Brazilian Ludodactylus, with the two species constituting a clade closely related to the Anhangueridae and Istiodactylidae. The fact that a Chinese species is strongly related to South American animals would indicate a large cross-continental faunal exchange during this time.

Guidraco's teeth have a peculiar appearance. The first of the upper jaw's 23 teeth are long and narrow, pointing almost horizontally forward. The next three teeth are massive in size, long, strong, pointed.

What can Guidraco live with?

These ghost dragon pterosaur dinosaurs, a member of the Boreopteridae family, are considered carnivores or piscivores. It is believed that they probably preferred to live near water sources to eat fish and other aquatic animals. This means that they mostly lived with such animals who liked to live in a marine environment.

Who discovered the Guidraco?

In western Liaoning, China, Xiaolin Wang of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology identified a new pterosaur species. Guidraco venator, a new species, was reported in the magazine Naturwissenschaften's April issue.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about other creatures from our Prosaurolophus facts, or Tupuxuara facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Guidraco coloring pages.

Main image by FunkMonk (Michael B. H.).

Second image by Ghedoghedo.

*We've been unable to source an image of Guidraco and have used an image of Ludodactylus instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Guidraco, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.