Aerotitan fossil map
Where fossils of Aerotitan have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 66 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 66 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Pterosaurs |
|---|---|
| Lived | 72.2–66 million years ago (Maastrichtian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Azhdarchidae |
| Named by | Novas et al. 2012 |
| Fossil records | 1 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina |
| Rock formations | Allen |
About Aerotitan
Aerotitan is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Argentina. Its only remains, which consist of a partial snout, were found in the Allen Formation of the Neuquén Basin in northern Patagonia. This specimen was made the holotype of Aerotitan sudamericanus by paleontologist Fernando Novas and colleagues. The generic name combines the Greek word ἀήρ, meaning "air" and Titan, alluding to the pterosaur's large size. The specific name is a reference to its origin, South America.
Aerotitan is the first pterosaur belonging the family Azhdarchidae that was found in South America. A wingspan of at least 5 m (16 ft) has been estimated for this pterosaur. Within Azhdarchidae, the genus Mistralazhdarcho from France seems to have been the closest relative of Aerotitan, based on numerous phylogenetic analyses that have recovered them together in a clade.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Aerotitan (revision 1341938878), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q4688495.
