Re: pteros have lift-off

[Tim Williams <tijawi@yahoo.com>]

Augusto Haro wrote:


> True, do not deny that, but say that you have less steps
> admitting
> Ornithodira as primitively bipedal (I mean, bipedalism
> appearing at
> the most basal node within Ornithodira) and Pterosauria
> bipedal too,
> than admitting a quadrupedal Pterosauria. 


But Augusto, we know from trackways that pterosaurs used quadrupedal 
terrestrial locomotion.  The question is: did pterosaurs acquire this gait 
*before* the advent of aerial locomotion, or only after they became fliers?


Refs:

Bennett, S.C. (1997).  Terrestrial locomotion of pterosaurs: A reconstruction 
based on _Pteraichnus_ trackways.  J. Vert. Paleontol. 17: 104â113.

Padian, K. (2003).  Pterosaur stance and gait and the interpretation of 
trackways. Ichnos 10: 115â126.


Cheers

Tim