Sky Dragons
This page is about members of Order Pterodracia. For Ulelana, see Class Falsavis, or for Dragon-like Arthropods, see Class Pseudodracia.
Basic Description
Members of Order Pterodracia (meaning "Wing Dragon" in Greek) include the Sky Dragons. As their names suggest, they are designed to stay aloft for sustained periods, and include some of the most spectacular species of Dragon. They are Eudracian Dragonoids, so they have a preorbital opening and a temporal opening, as well as wings and, in most species, the ability to "breath" fire. The preorbital opening is fused to the nasal opening to lighten the skull, the skull is generally elongated, the second occular cavities are positioned on top of the head, and the horn bones are usually fused to the head. The third and fourth digits on the wings are relatively short, while the second digits are relatively long, which allows for soaring. Many of the bones are often fused for structural support. They have a deep chest cavity to accomodate large lungs. Their neck and tail are stiffened by bony rods for support. Some forms have hip bones that allow their hind legs to spread horizontally flat. The hind feet always lie flat on the ground. They are analogous to Earth Pterosaurs.
Systematics
The Taxonomy of Order Pterodracia is shown below.
Order Pterodracia
Family †Archeopterodracidae (Sky Dragon ancestors)
Suborder Protopterodracia (primitive Sky Dragons)
Family †Archeolophidae (Ancient Crested Sky Dragons)
Family †Protopterodracidae (basal True Sky Dragons)
Family †Archeopterouridae (Ancient Fantail Dragons)
Infraorder Desertaladracia (Desert Sky Dragons)
Family †Megapterodracidae (Giant Sky Dragons)
Family Grexidracoheremidae (Fantail Dragons)
Superfamily Omnivoraladracoidea (Omnivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Cactifoliadracidae (Succulent Nesting Sky Dragons)
Family Pterodracidae (Sky Dragons [type family])
Family †Oasilophidae (Oasis Sky Dragons)
Family Desertveladracidae (Desert Sailback Sky Dragons)
Suborder Gounadermia (Furry Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Protogounadermoidea (Ancient Furry Sky Dragons)
Family †Protogounadrmidae (Ancient Furry Sky Dragons)
Family †Omnivoridentidae (Omnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Herbivoraladracoidea (Herbivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Microphytotrogoidae (Small Herbivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Aichmeropteridae (Bladewings)
Family †Magniungulidae (Giant Clawed Dragons)
Family Plumherbivoraladracidae (Plumed Herbivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Alavenatoridae (Small Carnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Grandalavenatoroidea (Large Carnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Family †Longalavenatoridae (Longwing Furry Sky Dragons)
Family Grandalavenatoridae (Giant Carnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Family Edentulovenatoridae (Toothless Furry Sky Dragons)
Suborder Pinnamdracia (Spiny Sky Dragons)
Family Pinnavelumidae (Spiny Sailback Sky Dragons)
Family †Archeodracopteridae (Ancient Spiny Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Monpinnadracia (Feathered Sky Dragons)
Family Dracopteridae (Mountain Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Glacidracia (Farside Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Lamperodracoidea (Glow Dragons)
Family Grandiglacidracidae (Migrating Sky Dragons)
Family Lamperodracidae (Glowing Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Endomycoidea (Ice Sky Dragons)
Family Dracaglacispeluncidae (Ice Cave Sky Dragons)
Family Thermometidracidae (Nighteye Sky Dragons)
Family Glacigrexidae (Flocking Ice Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Neopterodracia (New Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Maritivenatoroidea (Coastal Hunting Sky Dragons)
Family Ovivenatoridae (Egg Hunting Sky Dragons)
Family Maritivenatoridae (Coastal Hunting Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Pseudoicthyvoridae (Grottipey Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family †Aladracocumcuspidae (Cusped Sky Dragons)
Family †Diformidontidae (Grottipey Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family Dracocumsinedontidae (Toothless Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family Lophiodracidae (Crested Sky Dragons)
Family Gialometopolophidae (False Lophiodracids)
Family Brevicaudidae (Shorttail Sky Dragons)
Family †Protodracochoribracidae (Ancient Armless Sky Dragons)
Suborder Dracanobracia (Armless Sky Dragons)
Family Dracomefiltradontidae (Seive Dragons)
Superfamily Maritivenatorsinebrachoidea (Armless Coastal Hunting Sky Dragons)
Family Eccentricraniidae (Strangd Faced Sky Dragons)
Family Maritigrexidae (Coastal Swarming Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Kunigopseudoicthoidea (Armless Grottipey Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family Metopolophanodontidae (Top Crested Sky Dragons)
Family †Pisolophanodontidae (Point Headed Sky Dragons)
Family Dontiposesoulidae (no common name)
Infraorder Pterodracotisthalassia (Ocean Sky Dragons)
Family Pagidodontodracidae (Netface Sky Dragons)
Family Katadydracidae (Diving Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Apomeradracia (Sky Dragons of the Remote Islands)
Family Arthrospondylidae (Extending Sailback Sky Dragons)
Family Lamprolophidae (Magnificent Sky Dragons)
Order Pterodracia
Family †Archeopterodracidae (Sky Dragon ancestors)
Suborder Protopterodracia (primitive Sky Dragons)
Family †Archeolophidae (Ancient Crested Sky Dragons)
Family †Protopterodracidae (basal True Sky Dragons)
Family †Archeopterouridae (Ancient Fantail Dragons)
Infraorder Desertaladracia (Desert Sky Dragons)
Family †Megapterodracidae (Giant Sky Dragons)
Family Grexidracoheremidae (Fantail Dragons)
Superfamily Omnivoraladracoidea (Omnivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Cactifoliadracidae (Succulent Nesting Sky Dragons)
Family Pterodracidae (Sky Dragons [type family])
Family †Oasilophidae (Oasis Sky Dragons)
Family Desertveladracidae (Desert Sailback Sky Dragons)
Suborder Gounadermia (Furry Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Protogounadermoidea (Ancient Furry Sky Dragons)
Family †Protogounadrmidae (Ancient Furry Sky Dragons)
Family †Omnivoridentidae (Omnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Herbivoraladracoidea (Herbivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Microphytotrogoidae (Small Herbivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Aichmeropteridae (Bladewings)
Family †Magniungulidae (Giant Clawed Dragons)
Family Plumherbivoraladracidae (Plumed Herbivorous Sky Dragons)
Family Alavenatoridae (Small Carnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Grandalavenatoroidea (Large Carnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Family †Longalavenatoridae (Longwing Furry Sky Dragons)
Family Grandalavenatoridae (Giant Carnivorous Furry Sky Dragons)
Family Edentulovenatoridae (Toothless Furry Sky Dragons)
Suborder Pinnamdracia (Spiny Sky Dragons)
Family Pinnavelumidae (Spiny Sailback Sky Dragons)
Family †Archeodracopteridae (Ancient Spiny Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Monpinnadracia (Feathered Sky Dragons)
Family Dracopteridae (Mountain Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Glacidracia (Farside Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Lamperodracoidea (Glow Dragons)
Family Grandiglacidracidae (Migrating Sky Dragons)
Family Lamperodracidae (Glowing Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Endomycoidea (Ice Sky Dragons)
Family Dracaglacispeluncidae (Ice Cave Sky Dragons)
Family Thermometidracidae (Nighteye Sky Dragons)
Family Glacigrexidae (Flocking Ice Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Neopterodracia (New Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Maritivenatoroidea (Coastal Hunting Sky Dragons)
Family Ovivenatoridae (Egg Hunting Sky Dragons)
Family Maritivenatoridae (Coastal Hunting Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Pseudoicthyvoridae (Grottipey Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family †Aladracocumcuspidae (Cusped Sky Dragons)
Family †Diformidontidae (Grottipey Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family Dracocumsinedontidae (Toothless Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family Lophiodracidae (Crested Sky Dragons)
Family Gialometopolophidae (False Lophiodracids)
Family Brevicaudidae (Shorttail Sky Dragons)
Family †Protodracochoribracidae (Ancient Armless Sky Dragons)
Suborder Dracanobracia (Armless Sky Dragons)
Family Dracomefiltradontidae (Seive Dragons)
Superfamily Maritivenatorsinebrachoidea (Armless Coastal Hunting Sky Dragons)
Family Eccentricraniidae (Strangd Faced Sky Dragons)
Family Maritigrexidae (Coastal Swarming Sky Dragons)
Superfamily Kunigopseudoicthoidea (Armless Grottipey Fishing Sky Dragons)
Family Metopolophanodontidae (Top Crested Sky Dragons)
Family †Pisolophanodontidae (Point Headed Sky Dragons)
Family Dontiposesoulidae (no common name)
Infraorder Pterodracotisthalassia (Ocean Sky Dragons)
Family Pagidodontodracidae (Netface Sky Dragons)
Family Katadydracidae (Diving Sky Dragons)
Infraorder Apomeradracia (Sky Dragons of the Remote Islands)
Family Arthrospondylidae (Extending Sailback Sky Dragons)
Family Lamprolophidae (Magnificent Sky Dragons)