Pterosaur: Difference between revisions

Pterosaurs were vetebrates that lived during the Mezozoic era, from 228 to 66 Million years ago. Pterosaurians evolved membrane like wings made of skin, fine hair-like down, muscle and sinew. They were the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight, some 228 million years before humans did with assistance from technology and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_on_the_Flight_of_Birds inspiration] from those vertebrates that had come before.  

Pterosaurians are not closely related to the Theropod dinosaur lineage that evolved feathers eventually giving rise to birds as is commonly misconceived, and they mostly evolved independently. They were the first of 3 solutions by vetebrates to flight with the other two being birds (Avians) and the mammalian bats (Chiropterans). Pterosaurians utilised a wing running from the ankles, up to an extended 'arm' with a very long fourth finger, as the main surface generating lift. Pterosaurs also had several other lifting surfaces. They had evolved a specialised bone called the pteroid, which is rare as bones usually get re-used for different purposes or discarded. This pteroid extended from the 'wrist' supporting a lifting surface at front of the arm (the propatagium), which extended from the body to the wrist. The pteroid bone would help control the camber of the wing and the amount of lift generated as needed. Pterosaurs also had a lifting surface between their two 'legs' (hind limbs) and tail which functioned to generate lift and allow sharper roll/pitch/yaw manouveres depending on the species, but was not used to help stabilise during flight like an aircraft tailwing.

== Gallery 2018+ ==

<gallery mode="packed">

Pterosaur,_Hawaii_(Flightgear_2019.x)_02.jpg| Over Kauai

Pterosaur_over_Blue_Mountains_near_Katoomba_in_Australia_with_signature_blue_haze_(FlightGear_2020.x).jpg| Over Blue mountains, Australia

SOTM_2019-09_Welcome_to_the_Mesozoic_by_vnts.jpg| Over Kauai

</gallery>