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Pterosaurs Stranger Than Ever
Discovery Channel ^ | Oct. 9, 2003 | Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News

Posted on 10/16/2003 8:40:50 AM PDT by 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at dsc.discovery.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: crevolist; godsgravesglyphs; paleontology; pterosaursbiology; science
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To: VadeRetro
I pthink it's a pterrific ptheory.
21 posted on 10/16/2003 9:13:49 AM PDT by Consort
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To: VadeRetro
Fascinating.
22 posted on 10/16/2003 9:15:23 AM PDT by riri
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To: VadeRetro
I would've liked to see Noah trying to lasso those things!
23 posted on 10/16/2003 9:17:16 AM PDT by WackyKat
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To: WackyKat
He just strapped pontoons on their feet and let them go.
24 posted on 10/16/2003 9:18:01 AM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: VadeRetro
Not convincing. Now THIS IS CONVINCING
25 posted on 10/16/2003 9:19:35 AM PDT by Truth666
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To: VadeRetro
Not convincing. Now THIS IS CONVINCING
26 posted on 10/16/2003 9:19:41 AM PDT by Truth666
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To: VadeRetro

Maybe the headcrests are there to gag a mosasaur.

Image: Pterosaur from Brazil


27 posted on 10/16/2003 9:20:10 AM PDT by Sabertooth (No Drivers' Licences for Illegal Aliens. Petition SB60. http://www.saveourlicense.com/n_home.htm)
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To: Truth666
Keep fooling yourself, it's fun to watch.
28 posted on 10/16/2003 9:23:40 AM PDT by Ogmios (Who is John Galt?)
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To: VadeRetro

The Texas Pterosaur

29 posted on 10/16/2003 9:24:15 AM PDT by blam
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To: VadeRetro
Are these the 'Thunder Birds' the Americans Indians mentioned?
30 posted on 10/16/2003 9:25:10 AM PDT by blam
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To: Sabertooth
Thought of you when I was testing out a signature graphic last night but decided not to run with it.
31 posted on 10/16/2003 9:25:54 AM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: blam
The creationists are right! That thing could never have flown without skin.
32 posted on 10/16/2003 9:27:02 AM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: VadeRetro
YEC INTREP
33 posted on 10/16/2003 9:30:38 AM PDT by LiteKeeper
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To: VadeRetro
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...



34 posted on 10/16/2003 9:31:37 AM PDT by Sabertooth (No Drivers' Licences for Illegal Aliens. Petition SB60. http://www.saveourlicense.com/n_home.htm)
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To: blam
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.

35 posted on 10/16/2003 9:39:23 AM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: VadeRetro
"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.

36 posted on 10/16/2003 9:43:23 AM PDT by blam
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To: blam
Why duck a question when you can misunderstand it?
37 posted on 10/16/2003 9:56:22 AM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: blam
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.
38 posted on 10/16/2003 9:58:51 AM PDT by doodad
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To: VadeRetro
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?
39 posted on 10/16/2003 9:58:51 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: blam
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.

40 posted on 10/16/2003 10:01:10 AM PDT by UNGN (I've been here since '98 but had nothing to say until now)
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