Re: Pterosaur Crests

["James R. Cunningham" <jrccea@bellsouth.net>]

Allan Smith wrote:

> 2. In that study, (if it exists) has a relationship been found between the
> size of the crest and the age of the pterosaur sporting it, (if that is
> possible to know.) What I'm wondering is that if younger individuals have
> smaller crests than their older counterparts, does that imply that the crest
> serves a aerodynamic function or is it for display?

Don't know if such a study exists.  I would venture to speculate that an
inverse relationship exists between the size of the adult crest and the
length/inflexibility of the neck. A long, relatively inflexible,
extended neck implies  a relatively small head crest.  The reason I
suggest this is that most pterosaurs are probably strongly adverse to
being unwilling participants in a terminal divergent spiral.  The
corollary to that speculation is that they are probably primarily for
display

Jim