What are Pterosaurs?

Pterosaur, also known as Pterosauria, is an extinct reptile with nearly 100 species. ^[1] Although the same age as dinosaurs survived, pterosaurs were not dinosaurs. ^[2] Greek means "winged lizard", which is the evolutionary branch of flying reptiles. It survived from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous, from 210 million years ago to 65 million years ago. Pterodactyls were the first flying vertebrates. Pterodactyl wings are derived from the skin membrane located between the side of the body and the phalanx. Earlier species have long, toothy jaws and long tails; later species have sharply shortened tails and lack teeth. Pterodactyls have very large differences in size, ranging from small bird-like forest pterosaurs to the largest flying creatures that have ever appeared on earth, such as Aeolus pterosaurs and Hatzco pterosaurs, with wingspans exceeding 12 meters, teeth It is 10 cm long and has a huge pointed mouth.

Flying reptile. Commonly known as flying dragon. The largest pterodactyl can reach 6-8m when both wings are spread. China

Pterodactyls are larger than other pterodactyls. They have almost no teeth. Other pterodactyls have teeth. Typical pterodactyls have shorter tails than other pterodactyls and have crowns on their heads. Some pterosaurs are the same size as other birds, but others can look like

In order to meet the needs of flight, pterosaurs already have the physiological mechanism of constant internal heat and body temperature, high metabolism level, developed nervous system, and efficient circulation and respiratory system, becoming a class of reptiles that are least like reptiles.

Pterosaurs have complex behaviors similar to today's birds.

Pterosaurs do not soar freely and long-distance in the blue sky like birds. They can only glide near its living environment, such as rocks or woods by the sea, lake, or sometimes on the water.

There are two main categories of pterosaurs known. Although there were early types in the Late Triassic, in the Late Jurassic

World's first pterodactyl embryo fossil in western Liaoning, China

Under normal circumstances, during the evolution of animals and plants, they are rapidly trying out various possibilities. Katy research from the University of Bristol found that pterosaurs have evolved differently, and they have become increasingly specialized in their 160 million years of life history. Pterodactyl is the earliest flying animal in the history of the earth. It appeared 50 million years before the Archaeopteryx. Pterosaurs are very good at flying, but surprisingly, pterosaurs did not begin their true evolution until birds appeared. ^[8]

Pterosaur origin

Screroro dragons that lived in the late Triassic may be close relatives of pterosaur ancestors. The pterosaurs' bone structure has changed drastically and specialized because of their adaptation to flight. Little is known about the origin of the purpose evolution. Because of their ankle structure, pterosaurs are considered close relatives to dinosaurs. There are several related theories, the most popular of which are the bird-necked main dragon similar to Scleromochlus, the original main dragon-shaped pike crocodile that can stand on two feet, or the original similar to Salovyron Sauropods. Pterodactyl expert David Anwin believes that these animals do not meet the hypothesis of pterosaur ancestors because of their individual physiological characteristics.

Pterodactyl (2 photos)

Chris Bennett and David Peters have proposed that pterosaurs belong to the protosaurian or close relatives of the protosaurian. David Peters used computer drawing software to try to find associations between protosaurids and pterosaurs. When Chris Bennett tried to find the convergence and evolution characteristics of pterosaurs and dinosaurs, he found that the pterosaurs were quite similar to the original sauropods when they removed the hind limbs.

In 2007, Michael Benton and others put forward different views that pterosaurs and dinosaurs are close relatives. Pterosaurs are very similar to dinosaurs even if they do not take into account the hindlimb features. Bandon et al. Believe that although there is no fossil evidence of the most direct ancestors of pterosaurs, pterosaurs obviously belong to the main dragons, especially the evolutionary branch of the bird-necked main dragons. According to their analysis, pterosaurs are the skeletal dragon's sister taxon, or they have evolved from species between skreleros and rabbit crocodiles.

In 2008, research showed that the earliest pterosaurs were arboreal and insectivorous small animals.

In 2011, Stirling Nasby's early research on the main dragons also supported the theory that pterosaurs and skreleros were sister units to each other. Because pterosaurs have been proven to have no evolutionary adaptation to arboreal life, their flight evolution pathways are considered to be different from that of birds, and the flight evolution pathways of birds are "down from the tree." Most schemes believe that pterosaurs have evolved from long-legged land-runners, such as Screrelosaurus or Saloviron, both of which have a membrane that extends from the hind legs to the body or tail. Studies have shown that pterosaurs evolved "from the ground up," or climbed cliffs.

Pterosaur heyday

Members of flying reptiles that flourished in the Mesozoic Jurassic (208 million years ago to 144 million years ago) and the Cretaceous (144 million years ago to 66.4 million years ago). Pterosauria belongs to Archosauria of the reptile class. Dinosaurs and crocodiles also belong to the subclass Cologne, and birds are descendants of colognes. The Triassic (245 million years ago to 208 million years ago) colognes have a bipedal gait, and their forelimbs are freely used for other applications. Both birds and pterosaurs also convert forelimbs into wings. ^[7]

Causes of pterosaur extinction

Traditional theory holds that the competition of early birds led to the extinction of many pterosaurs. By the end of the Cretaceous, only large pterosaurs were found; small pterosaurs have disappeared and the niche has been replaced by early birds. However, the lack of small pterosaurs in the fossil record may also be caused by their fragile skeletons, which are difficult to preserve, and have nothing to do with bird biodiversity.

The end-Cretaceous extinction event wiped out dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and many other animals. Another explanation is that most pterosaurs have developed into a marine-dependent lifestyle. Therefore, when the end-Cretaceous extinction event seriously affected the marine animals that pterosaurs depended on, pterosaurs went extinct. However, Shenlong pterosaurs and sail pterosaurs inhabit inland and do not depend on the ocean for their livelihood. Maastrichtian stage, for example: Ornithopodidae, Toothless Pterodactylidae, Nightwing Pterodactylidae, Pterodactylidae. These newly discovered species show that pterosaurs in the late Cretaceous still maintained diversity. Compared to the early Cretaceous, they only declined slightly, unlike previous theories. ^[1]

New species of pterosaur

A group of fossils of dinosaurs that have been forgotten for 40 years in Brazil are confirmed to be new pterosaur species that lived in southern Brazil about 80 million years ago.

Scientists at the International Museum of the University of Constado and the Federal University of Rio in Santa Catarina, Brazil, have published their findings in a new issue of the US Public Library of Science. They named the new species Caiuajara dobruskii, which is distinguished by a large crown on the head that looks like a canvas on a sailing boat. ^[9]

Scientists speculate that the new pterosaur species lived about 90 to 80 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, when the South American continent was separated from the African continent. Its wingspan can reach up to 2.35 meters. It has no teeth and is likely to use plant fruits as its main food. Based on juvenile pterosaur skeleton fossils, the species should be able to fly independently at a very young age. ^[9]

The fossils were discovered in the northeastern part of the state of Parana, southern Brazil, and were the first pterosaur fossils to be found in the area. Among the 47 skeleton fossils found, skeletons of pterosaurs of different ages were included. ^[9]

In fact, the fossils were discovered and reported to the local government by a local farmer and his son as early as 1971, but were later forgotten. It was not until 2011 that two paleontology professors at the University of Constado discovered the fossils and began research to make these "treasures" reappear. ^[9]