Fossils of ancient reptiles called pterosaurs have revealed that some species flew by flapping their wings, while others soared like vultures. The fossils, which date back 66 million to 72 million years to the late Cretaceous Period, were found in 2007 at two sites in what is now Jordan. These sites used to be part of Afro-Arabia, an ancient landmass that included Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The research team used high-resolution CT scans to analyze the fossils. Some of the fossils belonged to a giant pterosaur known as Arambourgiania philadelphiae, confirming it had a wingspan of 32.8 feet (10 meters). The remaining fossils were part of a newly discovered pterosaur named Inabtanin alarabia, which had a wingspan of 16.4 feet (5 meters).
When researchers scanned the flight bones, they found differing structures. The flight bones of Inabtanin alarabia had an interior structure of struts or strengthening rods similar to those in modern birds that flap their wings. In contrast, the wing bones of Arambourgiania had spiral ridges resembling those found in the wing bones of vultures, which are adapted for soaring.
Lead study author Dr.
Pterosaur flight mechanisms revealed by fossils
Kierstin Rosenbach, a paleontologist and researcher at the University of Michigan, explained that the struts found in Inabtanin were not unusual, but the ridges in Arambourgiania were completely unexpected.
The largest flying modern bird is the Andean condor, with a wingspan of about 9 feet (2.8 meters). Pterosaurs, however, had massive wingspans that reached up to 39.3 feet (12 meters). “They represent the largest animals with the capacity to fly,” said Rosenbach.
The team noted that understanding how different pterosaurs adapted their flight styles provides insight into their behaviors and lifestyles. “Inabtanin would have been flapping its wings similar to modern birds, but Arambourgiania would more likely have been soaring, much like a vulture or pelagic seabird,” Rosenbach explained. The study’s findings contribute to the ongoing debate among paleontologists regarding the flight capabilities of the largest pterosaurs.
The internal bone structures of these fossils suggest that these ancient giants experienced the mechanical forces associated with flight. According to study coauthor Jeff Wilson Mantilla, the variation in internal bone structure likely reflects how the pterosaurs’ wings responded to mechanical forces in flight. The scientists plan to use these findings to further understand how these flight styles evolved.
“We can think of these findings as one piece in the puzzle of growing evidence that large pterosaurs maintained the ability to fly even at extremely large body sizes,” Rosenbach said.
Cameron is a highly regarded contributor in the rapidly evolving fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. His articles delve into the theoretical underpinnings of AI, the practical applications of machine learning across industries, ethical considerations of autonomous systems, and the societal impacts of these disruptive technologies.
