The Tombstone Pterosaur
There is a story about an apparent pterosaur that was encountered and killed by 2 cowboys in the Huanchuca Desert.
The story apparently came from The Tombstone Epitaph from April 26, 1890. This story can be found in an article titled Tombstone's Flying Monster by Jana Bommersbach from the True West Magazine Website.
The monster is described as being "ninety-two feet in length and the greatest diameter was about fifty inches," with a head that "was about eight feet long." It's jaw was described as "thickly set with strong, sharp teeth," and it's eyes were described to be "as a dinner plate and protruded about halfway from the head." It's wings were claimed to be "seventy-eight feet, making the total length from tip to tip about 160 feet," and "were composed of a thick and nearly transparent membrane and were devoid of feathers or hair." The entire body was also apparently featherless and hairless, and it's skin "was comparatively smooth and easily penetrated by a bullet."
Now there are several issues with this. First off is not a single pterosaur matches this description. The largest species of pterosaurs are include Arambourgiania, Hatzegopteryx, and Quetzalcoatlus. All of which achieved wingspans between 10 and 12 meters (33–39 ft), and were nowhere near 92 feet in length. This thing is basically Rodan. They would also have had pycnofibers covering their body as opposed to having smooth skin. They all also didn't have sharp teeth and had theirs replaced with beaks.
Extra undescribed details that should have been mentioned if this is sometime type of pterosaur include the following. The fact it rounded wing tips, and wings that aren't similar to bats. Alongside the fact they have air sacs in their wings.
You also have the issue of this cryptid being way too big and by extension to heavy to fly. On top of this the Square–cube law makes it where this creature would have to look more like a sauropod if it evolved to be so big.
Speaking of size, due to it being so big, it wouldn't have been able to find anything to eat in the Huanchuca Desert. A Quetzalcoatlus alone would have trouble finding something to eat, but a 92 foot long monster??!!!
The story itself also has multiple Buffalo Bill style embellishments with the cowboys, particularly the fact they had guns. This is because guns had a lot of restrictions back in the Old Wild West.
With all those details, the Tombstone Pterosaur is nothing more than a tall tale. Notes, From The Guide.











