User blog comment:Lord Loss/Monster Hunter Theory... Blog/@comment-5020152-20130305143423/@comment-5020152-20130305181955

Pteranodons were the size of airplanes, but weighed less than 100 pounds if I remember correctly. I'm assuming Rathalos has a similar wingspan (12 meters or 40 feet seems about right), so in theory, he should have a similar weight.

However, I do know that's not the case, because while Pteranodon was practically all wings, Rathalos has developed legs, a long, spiked tail, and a lot of additional muscular and organ tissue. So I'm guessing that Rathalos would be a few hundred pounds.

As for the traps, I know that it's an in-game mechanic, but is there an explanation as to why this would be possible in real life?