The rise and rise of the flying reptiles

University of Bristol ^ | July 6, 2011 | Unknown

[decimon]

Pterosaurs, flying reptiles from the time of the dinosaurs, were not driven to extinction by the birds, but in fact they continued to diversify and innovate for millions of years afterwards.

A new study by Katy Prentice, done as part of her undergraduate degree (MSci in Palaeontology and Evolution) at the University of Bristol, shows that the pterosaurs evolved in a most unusual way, becoming more and more specialised through their 160 million years on Earth. The work is published today in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.

‘Usually, when a new group of animals or plants evolves, they quickly try out all the options. When we did this study, we thought pterosaurs would be the same,’ said Katy. ‘Pterosaurs were the first flying animals – they appeared on Earth 50 million years before Archaeopteryx, the first bird – and they were good at what they did. But the amazing thing is that they didn’t really begin to evolve until after the birds had appeared.’

Katy’s study was done in conjunction with her supervisors, Dr Marcello Ruta and Professor Michael Benton. They looked at 50 different pterosaurs that ranged in size from a blackbird to the largest of all, Quetzalcoatlus, with a wingspan of 12 metres, four times the size of the largest flying bird today, the albatross. They tracked how all the pterosaur groups came and went through their history and recorded in detail their body shapes and adaptations.

[decimon]

Most unusual ping.

[beebuster2000]

most quality ping

[WayneS]

The rise and rise of the flying reptiles

What are the odds of BOTH Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi growing wings at the same time?

[hellbender]

‘Pterosaurs were the first flying animals

Fail. Dragonflies were around long before that.

[BereanBrain]

dragonflies and butterflys and moths are insects not animals.

But I don’t believe any of them evolved millions of years ago, anyway.

I find it hard to believe that we have found blood, and flesh that “dates” to 69 to 80 million years, still viable (and DNA sequenceable) even though it’s been at room temperature.

I find it interesting that people will *just* accept as fact that blood and flesh can still exist after 69 million years buried at ground temp. Put some blood or flesh in a jar sometime and wait. I bet it doesn’t take 69 Million years to predict it will decay.

[hellbender]

Insects are animals. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that “animal” means a vertebrate only. Some people even think birds are not animals, and refer to “wild animals and birds.” Fish are animals, reptiles are animals, worms are animals, clams are animals.

[BereanBrain]

Ah, you are correct!

I am just a vertibrate bigot!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks decimon.

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[SunkenCiv]

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