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Thalassodromeus

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When the remains of Thalassodromeus were discovered in South America in 2002, they caused a small sensation--not because this pterosaur had a whopping 15-foot wingspan, which was still relatively small compared to the truly enormous Quetzalcoatlus, but because its noggin was topped by one of the largest, most elaborate crests of any creature that ever lived, dinosaur, pterosaur or mammal. Why did Thalassodromeus have such a huge hood ornament? Paleontologists can surmise a few reasons: first, the crest was interlaced with numerous blood vessels, indicating that it may have been used for cooling purposes (like the ears of an African elephant), implying that Thalassodromeus may have been warm-blooded. Second, the crest may have been a sexually selected characteristic (i.e., it was brightly colored during mating season, and used by males to attract females, or vice versa). Third, and a bit less likely, the crest may have served as a kind of rudder that stabilized this pterosaur in midair, though aerodynamic tests of this theory have been inconclusive.