Re: Pterosaur wing membranes

[Danvarner@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/14/2006 10:59:49 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
jrccea@bellsouth.net writes:
 
    << I'd be very surprised if all pterosaurs  had ankle attachments.
I'd be almost equally surprised if none of them  do.

But, they sure are counterproductive for animals that are making use  of 
dynamic soaring rather than convective soaring. >>

I remember seeing film of fuit bats soaring and I've  just bumped into a ref 
about soaring flight in a "Flying Fox", a fruit bat. The  site says, "It flies 
with a slow wing-beat, frequently glides and can also soar  on  thermals."

http://www.animalinfo.org/species/bat/pterlivi.htm

Here's a photo:  http://ibis.nott.ac.uk/Action-Comores/batflight2.jpg

I  don't have a dog in this fight, but I'd sure like to get to the bottom of 
it!  DV