, probably preferred to hunt on foot.)
THE AZHDARCHID: A study of azhdarchid anatomy, footprints and the distribution of their fossils shows these flying reptiles,which could grow as big as a giraffe and have a wingspan of up to 33 feet (10 meters), probably preferred to hunt on foot.
Image: Courtesy of Mark Witton
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Flying dinosaur preferred to hoof it while hunting
Why fly when you can walk? That's what the winged azhdarchid dinosaur apparently figured while on the hunt back in the day—65 million to 230 million years ago. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth in England report in PLoS ONE that the dinos were more likely to stalk prey on foot than by flying over and swooping in for the kill. Paleontologists generally believe that pterosaurs (the larger category of dinosaur to which the azhdarchid belongs) lived as gull- or pelican-like predators that flew over lakes and oceans, plucking fish from the water. But a study of azhdarchid anatomy, footprints and the distribution of their fossils indicates one size does not fit all in the case of flying reptiles. In fact, azhdarchids—which could grow as tall as giraffes, with wingspans of up to 33 feet (10 meters)—were probably better at walking than any other pterosaurs, because they had long limbs and skulls well suited for picking up small animals and other food from the ground. Azhdarchids' closest relatives today: large ground-feeding birds such as ground-hornbills and storks.
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7 Comments
Add CommentPterosaurs were not dinosaurs. They were a separate lineage of reptiles. Flying dinosaurs are called birds.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere seems to be some ambiguity in the word dinosaur. Pterosaurs had long thin bones like birds, but unlike birds didn't have the anatomy for sustained flight. Sauropods, a distant relative of the Ptreosaurs in the Cretaceous period are now generally recognized as the ancestors of modern day birds. Snakes, alligators and lizards are reptiles, but I think Ptersaurs deserve a better definition. The study of paleontology would be better served if they could somehow drop the antiquated term "dinosaur", and come up with a more definitive description.
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Edited by Hugh Jones at 05/31/2008 11:46 AM
Hugh--
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'm afraid the ambiguity here is not where you claim.
> There seems to be some ambiguity in the word
> dinosaur. Pterosaurs had long thin bones like
> birds, but unlike birds didn't have the anatomy for
> sustained flight. Sauropods, a distant relative of
I think if you do the research you'll find that pterosaur anatomy is at least as exquisitely adapted for flight as modern birds. (Try a Google search for "birds", "flocculus", and "pterosaur".)
> sustained flight. Sauropods, a distant relative of
> the Ptreosaurs in the Cretaceous period are now
> generally recognized as the ancestors of modern day
> birds. Snakes, alligators and lizards are reptiles,
Being direct descendants of (probably Jurassic) theropods (of the Saurischian lineage, which includes sauropods and prosauropods, but not Ornisthischian stegosaurs or "duckbill" dinos), birds are much closer relatives of dinosaurs than are pterosaurs (which are of a separate archosaurian line altogether), as Mr. Zimmer succinctly commented earlier.
> birds. Snakes, alligators and lizards are reptiles,
> but I think Ptersaurs deserve a better definition.
Taken altogether, I don't see the ambiguity; if crocodilians (also of the Archosauria) and their extinct kin are "reptiles", then so too are pterosaurs. I'm fairly certain most paleontologists would agree.
onleyone, I enjoyed your feedback. Of course my observations that there exists some ambiguity in the word dinosaur were merely subjective, and only voiced in hopes that there might someday be a more appropriate term. Although I'm intensely interested in the subject, I certainly wouldn't pass myself off as any kind of expert in this field. That being said however, a couple of Nova programs and other books on the subject I have read point out that the Pterosaur type animals didn't have "wishbones" or otherwise developed breast muscles necessary for sustained flight. This fact seems consistent with the Azhdarchid article. This study is always evolving, as example; in Nova "Four Winged Dinosaur", the scientists couldn't agree on at what level of the evolutionary scale the specimen belonged because it's remains were so badly crushed. Although I clearly have my favorites among theories in this evolving study, I'm very interested in listening to different viewpoints.
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Edited by Hugh Jones at 06/02/2008 11:46 AM
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Edited by Hugh Jones at 06/02/2008 11:49 AM
Pterosaurs were dinosaurs?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHornbills and storks are their relatives today? Can this crap really be on SI's web site?
You obviously have the wrong website, the "SI" website is down the hall and to your right.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGreat concept, a knuckle-walking pterosaur (not a dinosaur but a flying lizard) on the direct evolutionary route leading to geckos and airline pilots.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this