Why Did Pterosaurs Have Crests?
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- Опубліковано 30 бер 2014
- The incredible diversity of pterosaurs is perhaps best expressed in one of the prehistoric flying reptile's most intriguing and mysterious features: the head crest.
Pterosaur crests are thought to have been fairly ubiquitous, appearing in many groups of pterosaurs from the Triassic (252--201 million years ago) through the Jurassic (201--145 million years ago) and Cretaceous (145--66 million years ago) periods.
Why did pterosaurs have crests? There are competing theories, chief among them that crests serve as a form of species identification. Other possibilities include a role in sexual selection, heat regulation, as a rudder in flight, or as a keel in the water, stabilizing the reptile as it dove or skimmed for food.
Without living descendants for comparison and because pterosaur fossils are so rare, it's impossible to say for sure. Researchers would have to find thousands more fossils in different growth stages to answer the question.
#pterosaurs #dinosaurs #crests #flying #flight #crests #wings
Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs is on view from April 5, 2014, through January 4, 2015. Learn more about the exhibition at www.amnh.org/pterosaurs.
Episode 1: What Is a Pterosaur?
• What Is a Pterosaur?
Episode 2: Why Are Pterosaur Fossils So Rare?
• Why Are Pterosaur Foss...
Episode 3: Why Did Pterosaurs Have Crests?
• Why Did Pterosaurs Hav...
Episode 4: How are Pterosaur Names Pronounced?
• How are Pterosaur Name...
Episode 5: How Were Pterosaurs Adapted for Flight?
• How Were Pterosaurs Ad...
Episode 6: Meet the Paleontologists
• Meet the Paleontologists
***
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Episode 1: What Is a Pterosaur?
• What Is a Pterosaur?
Episode 2: Why Are Pterosaur Fossils So Rare?
• Why Are Pterosaur Foss...
Episode 3: Why Did Pterosaurs Have Crests?
• Why Did Pterosaurs Hav...
Episode 4: How are Pterosaur Names Pronounced?
• How are Pterosaur Name...
Episode 5: How Were Pterosaurs Adapted for Flight?
• How Were Pterosaurs Ad...
Episode 6: Meet the Paleontologists
• Meet the Paleontologists
***
Subscribe to our channel:
ua-cam.com/users/subscription_c...
Check out our full video catalog:
/ amnhorg
Facebook: naturalhistory
Twitter: / amnh
Tumblr: / amnhnyc
Instagram: / amnh
***
VIDEO CREDITS:
MUSIC
"Red Square" by G. Small and F. Gerard/
Warner Chappell Production Music
ILLUSTRATION
©AMNH 2014
ANIMATION
AMNH/Exhibition Department
PHOTOGRAPHY
AMNH/C. Chesek
VIDEO
AMNH/J. Bauerle
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© American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY - Наука та технологія
Their eyes face out from the sides. This means that, like modern birds, they would need to turn their heads and focus with one eye to get a solid look at something. We can assume that the scavenging and soaring species, at least, often flew with their heads turned to the side, one eye scanning the ground for prey. Have we investigated the aerodynamic value of the crest? It may have provided lift in the head-turned configuration, reducing stress on that long neck.
That’s what I’m wondering....how did their crests affect aerodynamics. I can see how they might be fighting and hunting in mid air and need those crests.
The mostly fleshy ones could indeed generate *some* aerofoil lift, as long as the foremost part would be the thickest. And the rest just a regular one as long as the head would be turned up slightly. I cannot however speak for the effectivity of it. I can however confirm it would give them immense maneuverability.
British Museum video clips: packed with detailed information and peppered with anecdotes and droll wit. American Museum of Natural History Museum video clip: Capt. Kitty-Cat's Tropical Island Adventure music and enough information to fill a thimble. :/
Loved all of the great illustrations - but the music was too cutsie woostie.
I have to note that these reconstructions do not correspond to known modern animal anatomy. (I know it sounds stupid, but these are animals too. The opening in skulls should not be uniformly bare skin with no other soft tissues. Some could instead feature notable cartilagionous features as, for example, we see today with humble pigeons.)
Don't we have conclusive proof that Pteranodon's crest was used for mating displays? What with the males having those handsome giant crests and the females having those short stumpy ones.
DO we have evidence of that? I was of the impression that sexual dimorphism was the exception among pterosaurs.
@@christinahirtzel6405 From what I can gather, the confirmation came from a mix of ontogeny and general anatomical analysis--there are two known morphs for adults in the Pteranodon genus, a larger morph with a long head crest and narrow pelvises and a smaller morph with a small crest and wider pelvises. Careful examination has confirmed that yes, both of these morphs are adults and while they have differences, they aren't nearly different enough to be separate species. This has led to the conclusion that the larger, long-crested morphs are male and the smaller, short-crested morphs are female.
Also, there was another pterosaur called Kupengopterus that displayed a mix of crested and crestless specimens and they discovered a crestless specimen who died in the process of laying an egg.
Would the developments of crests possibly indicate a long period of relative safety and success for these creatures? Where they were able to start speccing into such things?
What's your favourite pterosaur? Mine's Quetzellcoatolus.
I love pretty much all of them, but I have a bit of a soft spot for Pteranodon, Quetzalcoatlus and Dsungaripterus in particular.
I have to note that these reconstructions do not correspond to known modern animal anatomy. (I know it sounds stupid, but these are animals too. The opening in skulls should not be uniformly bare skin with no other soft tissues. Some could instead feature notable cartilagionous features as, for example, we see today with humble pigeons.)
I wonder if the crests allowed for aerodynamic maneuvers like fighting and hunting.
Yes. It would make them greatly aerodynamically unstable.
And no link with the flying ability ? No aerodynamic advantage with
May be stormy environment or something ?
Your assumptions are entirely right !
A high crest creates a sililar effect like a gliding parachute:
As the wind attacts very high above gravity centre (the pilot), it can only tear a paracute sidewards but never turns it over.
For this reason, KJ1 Nyctosaurus with a full sail is perfectly adapted to flight in stormy weather.
See crested flight in full function in film, pictures and technical expanations on www.island-masters.de !
Perhaps the crests were used to feel turbulence. A "sixth' sense. Mammals have it. Over time it could have evolved echo location. These types of arial creatures could of been speed junkies,lol. Maybe their brains weren't as developed for eyesight as well as modern predatory birds. Eagles can track two targets at once.
I would guess sociosexual display was a big factor in crests. We see a variety of shapes and sizes that we would not observe if they were based on aerodynamics.
Nyctosaurs probably did not have crests in the conventional sense. More like antlers.
Ah...in this use of theory, it should actually be hypothesis...
Pterosaurs are just big birds with feather... why people draw them like bats?
well, their wings are not made up of feathers. Feathers have not evolved yet. Its called pycnofibres. They flew like bats
they arent birds. if they're birds then you must be a tarsier