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avatar_tyrantqueen

Flightless Azhdarchids?

Started by tyrantqueen, June 05, 2013, 11:53:17 AM

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tyrantqueen

I keep seeing this meme all over the internet, the idea that flightless, ground dwelling azhdarchids might have evolved. Is there any truth to this, or just speculation?
Thanks


wings

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0002271 or http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0002271&representation=PDF

This is probably one of the most recent study on the topic (they are both the same; one is if you would like to read it off the site while the other is its pdf form, just in case if you can't view the site). Perhaps some of these "...flightless, ground dwelling azhdarchids" ideas stemmed on this paper although the paper never said that they (azhdarchids) were incapable of flying.

Here is a snip of it: "...Taphonomic data indicates that azhdarchids predominately inhabited inland settings, and azhdarchid morphology indicates that they were poorly suited for all proposed lifestyles bar wading and terrestrial foraging. However, azhdarchid footprints show that their feet were relatively small, padded and slender, and thus not well suited for wading. We argue that azhdarchids were stork- or ground hornbill-like generalists, foraging in diverse environments for small animals and carrion. Proficient terrestrial abilities and a relatively inflexible neck are in agreement with this interpretation."

Azhdarchids are probably efficient flyers. Their wings are relatively short and wide; well suited to flying in an inland environment (see http://www.scribd.com/doc/103038682/Veldmeijer-et-al-2012-Pterosaurs-Flying-contemporaries-of-the-Dinosaurs).

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