Pterosaurs Stranger Than Ever

Discovery Channel ^ | Oct. 9, 2003 | Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News

[VadeRetro]

New pterosaur fossils and studies are revealing just how unusual these huge, flying reptiles from the dinosaur era were.

Based on current findings, many pterosaurs, which lived on nearly every continent during the Mesozoic Era from approximately 248 million to 65 million years ago, possessed tweezer-like heads, body fur and incredibly large, varied head crests.

The recent discoveries, outlined in the current issue of Biologist, also suggest that pterosaurs walked on four limbs instead of two, as previously believed. Paleontologists have struggled with this issue, due to the bat-like way the flying reptile's wings were attached to its fore-limbs and hind-limbs.

[Consort]

I pthink it's a pterrific ptheory.

[riri]

Fascinating.

[WackyKat]

I would've liked to see Noah trying to lasso those things!

[VadeRetro]

He just strapped pontoons on their feet and let them go.

[Truth666]

Not convincing. Now THIS IS CONVINCING

[Truth666]

Not convincing. Now THIS IS CONVINCING

[Sabertooth]

Maybe the headcrests are there to gag a mosasaur.

[Ogmios]

Keep fooling yourself, it's fun to watch.

[blam]

The Texas Pterosaur

[blam]

Are these the 'Thunder Birds' the Americans Indians mentioned?

[VadeRetro]

Thought of you when I was testing out a signature graphic last night but decided not to run with it.

[VadeRetro]

The creationists are right! That thing could never have flown without skin.

[LiteKeeper]

YEC INTREP

[Sabertooth]

decided not to run with it.

Probably not the worst decision you've ever made.

You ought to go with an Archaeopteryx. Or a Tapejara...

[VadeRetro]

Are these the 'Thunder Birds' the Americans Indians mentioned?

Can't tell. When I saw the Thunderbirds back in '72 in a show at Goodfellow AFB they were flying F4 Phantoms.

[blam]

"When I saw the Thunderbirds back in '72 in a show at Goodfellow AFB they were flying F4 Phantoms."

Ah, come on. You know what I'm talking about.

[VadeRetro]

Why duck a question when you can misunderstand it?

[doodad]

That is the story I have always heard. They came across a fossil that was uncovered by a storm and thought the lightning had created it.

[aruanan]

They describe the crests as "surreal" and "absurd." For example, the crest of the Tapejara imperator spanned between two head spikes and looked like a triangular sail. Crested nyctosaurs possessed a rod-like crest that was much longer than the rest of the reptile's skull and entire body.

Vertical stabilizer and steering device?

[UNGN]

Are these the 'Thunder Birds' the Americans Indians mentioned?

Probably not since the last Pterosaur died 65 million years before the first American Indians.

That won't stop them from blaming Republicans for the demise of the Pterosaur, however.