A pair of robotic pterodactyls on Shore Leave Planet.
A pterodactyl was a type of reptile. They were sharp-teethed, had a distinct shriek, and were capable of stationary hovering in the air.
In 2269, a landing party from the USS Enterprise encountered several robotic pterodactyls on the Shore Leave Planet. As no member the landing party had thought about pterodactyls, this was a further indication of a malfunction in the planet's master computer. (TAS: "Once Upon a Planet")
Background[]
While they clearly look like members of the order pterosaur, none of the animals shown in "Once Upon a Planet" actually appear to be a pterodactyl. The crested, tailless one on the left appears to be a Cretaceous period pteranodon, and the long-tailed one on the right seems to be an earlier, Jurassic species, possibly the ramphorynchus.
A model of a creature closely resembling a pterodactyl was on display at the Museum of Kyrian Heritage. (VOY: "Living Witness")
A picture of what appeared to be a pterodactyl-like creature was created for a book to be featured in Star Trek: Insurrection, but was not seen on screen.
