[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Subject Index][Author Index]

Re: More on azhdarchid height and quad arm posture




----- Original Message -----

> From: Mark Witton <mark.witton@port.ac.uk>
> To: Dinosaur Mailing List <dinosaur@usc.edu>
> Cc: 
> Sent: Thursday, 27 June 2013 5:07 AM
> Subject: Re: More on azhdarchid height and quad arm posture

> "The Witton pose is very probably wrong."
> 
> Pterodactyloid trackways show that their limbs are held in
> parasagittal poses, and those of azhdarchids seem to drop almost
> vertically from the body, as depicted in my 2008 illustration and
> subsequent works. I'm not the only person to illustrate and describe
> their postures in this way: Chris Bennett (1997), David Unwin (1997,
> 2005), Hwang et al. (2002), Mazin et al. (2003) and many others have
> done the same. Presumably, the skewed joint at the end of the
> metacarpal deflects the distal wing laterally when the arm is folded
> up. Thus, I'm happy that my reconstructions are more-or-less
> consistent with this idea. The idea that pterodactyloids had sprawled
> forelimbs, akin to the Paul (2011) reconstruction of Q. n., is not
> supported by any trackway data.
> 
> Mark

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In regards to trackways, I would recommend folks read the following if they 
haven't already:

Carpenter, K. 2009. Role of Lateral Body Bending in Crocodylian Track Making. 
Ichnos. Vol. 16:202-207

When it comes to inferring stance, trackways lie. 

Jason