Re: Pterosaurs upside down in trees? NOT!

[jamolnar@juno.com]

On Wed, 18 Jun 1997 22:49:40 -0600 "Douglas W. Lewis" <dwlewis@rmii.com>
writes:
>> Speaking of Pterosaurs,could they hang upside down like a bat?

Not exactly.  Bats' knees bend backwards, and pterosaurs' bend the normal
way.  Bats' digits are also modified so that when they put weight on
their feet in the hanging position, the feet lock in the "hooked"
position.  Otherwise, the bat couldn't relax and fall asleep without
falling off its wall or ceiling!  These modifications are very distinct
and not present in pterosaur tootsies. {is that ptootsies?}

It's possible pterosaurs could hang upside down the same way a squirrel
can climb or hang downwards grasping on a wall or tree trunk, but I doubt
pterosaurs could hang "free" like a bat in a tree.

Judy Molnar
Education Associate, Virginia Living Museum
vlmed@juno.com
jamolnar@juno.com
All questions are valid; all answers are tentative.