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Ancient winged reptiles called pterosaurs ruled earth's skies for tens of millions of years, according to a new study. 

These reptiles are believed to be a part of a family of pterosaurs named Azhdarchidae and they have been named after azdarha, the Persian word for "dragon".

Unlike to earlier pterosaurs, these reptiles had no teeth and they dominated from late in Cretaceous period (about 90 million years ago) until the extinction event.

"This shift in dominance from toothed to toothless pterodactyloids apparently reflects some fundamental changes in Cretaceous ecosystems, which we still poorly understand," study author Alexander Averianov of the Russian Academy of Sciences wrote in the paper.

The study ruled out that pterosaurs were dinosaurs.

Researchers hope understanding these large predators can give insight into the ancient ecosystem as well as the origins of flight. Pterosaurs are believed to be the first animals after insects to have developed powered flight.

"Pterosaur bones were thin and fragile, much like bird bones, and they often drifted apart, shattered, or became scrambled before they could be preserved," according to the American Museum of Natural History.

"Azhdarchidae currently represents a real nightmare for pterosaur taxonomists: most taxa are known from few fragmentary bones, which often do not overlap between named taxa; the few articulated skeletons are poorly preserved," Averianov wrote, saying some of the best material "has remained undescribed for 40 years".

The study has been published in the journal ZooKeys.