What do we know about pterosaur parental care?

DISCUSSION

Sorry for not posting a dinosaur-related question, but the paleontology subreddit has removed my post for no reason.

I rewatched some PP episodes and what struck me was the diverse array of parenting styles depicted in regards to pterosaurs: Tethydracos raise their young in colonies and protect them, Alcione abandon theirs After Ladung their eggs, like some sort of turtle, and Quetzalcoatlus is depicted as bonding with the eggs but not caring for the flaplings.

I know that pterosaur eggs resembled more lizard eggs with their leathery shell and that flaplings have been found whose wings were already so developed that they could immediately fly after birth.

All this points to pterosaurs abandoning their young at birth like lizard and snakes do instead of raising them like birds.

But are there indicators for some species to have shown some level of parental care? As far as I know some pterosaurs did live in colonies. Could those at least raised their young instead of leaving them to fend for themselves?

Pterosaurs were very diverse in appearance and living styles. I thought that they might have differed in their parenting style as well.

Does anyone know better? What do you think? Die pterosaurs had a diverse array of parenting styles or did they mostly abandon their young?

Posted Sep 10, 2026, 7:14 PM UTC

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