Re: Pterodactylus web article for National Geographic Deutschland (translation)

[bh480@scn.org]

From: Ben Creisler bh480@scn.org
Re: Pterodactylus web article for National Geographic
Deutschland

Because of at least one personal request, here's a quick
(and less than perfect) translation of the German text of
the article (somebody else may do better!):

http://www.nationalgeographic.de/php/magazin/topstories/200
1/05/topstory1a.htm

Pterosaurs Walked on All Fours
It was a spectactular find that no one appreciated at
first, least of all the two paleontologists Helmut
Tischlinger from Stammham and Eberhart "Dino" Frey of the
National Museum of Natural History at Karlsruhe. "The
broken limestone slabs from the Langenaltheimer quarries
did not look particularly impressive at the time"--so went
their original assessment of the ancient reptile bones
when they were still mostly covered in sedimentary rock.
The recently completed preparation of the fossil from
Solnhofen provides completely new information about the
anatomy of pterosaurs: for the first time the new fossil
finds prove that the ancient rulers of the sky likely
walked on all fours.

Caption: Reconstruction of Pterodactylus antinquus in a
four-legged stance based on the new findings. The hand
with the three small fingers is rotated back.

The preparation of the fossil was done entirely under
ultraviolet light.  Besides the excellently preserved skin
impressions of the wing and flight surfaces, previously
unknown soft-tissue structures in the head region and on
the feet were brought to light. Thus the researchers not
only exposed the remains of  the bizarre dermal comb on
top of the head --similar to that known from other
pterosaurs-- but could detect for the first time a horny
beak-sheath on the tips of the jaws.

Caption: Pterodactylus sp., new find from the Malm Zeta 2b
at Langenalheim, approx. 20 cm. long

The hindlimbs of the Langenaltheimer Pterodactylus excited
special attention: yet another type of connecting skin
stretched between the metatarsals and toe bones .  New for
the genus were sickle-shaped curved horny claw-sheaths on
the toes as well as scaly padding on the soles and heels.

Caption: A large short-tailed pterosaur (head-length 15.5
cm) from the Solnhofen limestone.  Soft-tissue can be
recognized on the occiput and neck, while hair-like
structures are conspicuous along the neck.


 They confirm in an impressive manner  the findings from
the Langenaltheimer specimen
Thanks to these insights,  the 150-year old debate about
whether pterosaurs walked on two legs like birds or on
four legs like bats, can be decided in favor of the four-
footed locomotion.

Caption: Pterodactylus sp. UV-picture of the hindlimbs.
Between the toes of the left foot remains of webbing with
fiber bundles can be recognized, as well as the large
curved claw-sheaths.


Not all questions about pterosaurs have been settled yet.
>From their first occurrence 215 million years ago during
the Triassic to their extinction in the Cretaceous 65
million years ago, pterosaurs ultimately reached gigantic
size and great diversity, and ruled the prehistoric skies
long before the emergence of birds. The smallest of more
than 120 species were not much larger than a thrush, the
largest achieved a wingspan of nearly 12 meters.
Experience more about pterosaurs in the May 2001 issue of
National Geographic Deutschland and read about them on our
website.