Quadrupedal water launch capability demonstrated in small Late Jurassic pterosaurs.

ABSTRACT: Pterosaurs thrived in and around water for 160 + million years but their take-off from water is poorly understood. A purportedly low floating position and forward centre of gravity barred pterosaurs from a bird-like bipedal running launch. Quadrupedal water launch similar to extant water-feeding birds and bats has been proposed for the largest pterosaurs, such as Anhanguera and Quetzalcoatlus. However, quadrupedal water launch has never been demonstrated in smaller pterosaurs, including those living around the Tethys Sea in the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Lagoon. Using Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence, we singled out aurorazhdarchid specimen MB.R.3531 that alone preserved specific soft tissues among more than a dozen well-preserved Solnhofen pterosaur specimens. These soft tissues pertain to prim

SUBMITTER: Pittman M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9023563 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature