Re: Did pterosaurs feed by skimming?

[MICHAEL HABIB <habib@jhmi.edu>]

>  However, the exquisitely preserved
>  azhdarchid cervicals from the Judith River Formation show both stonking
>  hypapophysis and exapophyses as well as articulatory facets on the
>  posterodorsal side of the procoelus condyle only. To me, this all points
>  to an neck that was not well versed in the act of ventroflexion. What's
>  more, azhdarchid necks are famous for their cylindrical shape - there
>  are none of the enlarged processes we should expect in an animal that
>  exerts strong forces on it's neck. 

It seems that such rigidity could also be a means to resisting large forces, 
though.  One method of resisting forces is to expand muscle mass and/or change 
muscle moment arms.  But direct bracing is also a feasible solution, for 
certain types of loads.  This is not to say that a stiff neck implies skimming, 
per se, but I am not certain we can conclude that azhdarchids were not exerting 
substantial forces on their necks.


Cheers,

--Mike H.