Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 64 (9164 total)
2 online now:
Newest Member: ChatGPT
Post Volume: Total: 916,742 Year: 3,999/9,624 Month: 870/974 Week: 197/286 Day: 4/109 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Flight Ability of Winged Creatures from Fossil Record
Larni
Member
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 5 of 11 (492202)
12-29-2008 7:32 AM
Reply to: Message 4 by Granny Magda
12-29-2008 4:21 AM


Re: Could They Fly?
Just to let you know pterosaurs were not actually dinosaurs.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by Granny Magda, posted 12-29-2008 4:21 AM Granny Magda has not replied

  
Larni
Member
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 6 of 11 (492203)
12-29-2008 7:54 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Jon
12-28-2008 11:17 PM


Re: Could They Fly?
what reasons have we to believe that dinosaurs with wings could fly?
I think the simple answer is that feathered dinos used their feathers for insulation (such as Bamiraptor or velociraptor), rather than flight (the feathers were symmetrical).
They also show a half moon wrist bone (for grabbing) that could have allowed for a powerful down stroke of the arms: but do these count as wings? Certainly not capable of powered flight.
Feathers at this time (approx 135-65 mya) were mostly symmetrical so they could not really generate lift (see Caudipteryx).
Archaeopteryx, on the other hand had overlapping asymmetrical feathers but a pretty small breast bone compared with modern birds so it would have fluttered alone (rather than gracefully flying) and these were about in Jurassic times.
So I think you would be hard pressed to find an non avian flying dinosaur (to the best of my limited knowledge).
The kind of evidence we would need, I suppose, would be of such creatures living in high places that would not be easily reached by non-flying creatures.
Your best bet would be to look for a non avian feathered dinosaur fossilised in flight, at altitude. That would be a smoking gun.
Edited by Larni, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Jon, posted 12-28-2008 11:17 PM Jon has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024