Re: Quick question for pterosaur aficionados:

[Mike Habib <habib@jhmi.edu>]

Some of both.  Any joints that can be flexed will help fold the wing.   
Most of this will occur at MCIV-PhIV (outboard), but the elbow can  
flex, as can the wrist.  For actual folding, the wing finger is most  
important, but it should be noted that span reduction during flight  
was likely accomplished more at the elbow and wrist.  The initial span  
reduction produces extra cambering, and so (counter-intuitively)  
increases the lift on the span-reduced wing.  Additional span  
reduction reduces lift as area shrinks, and then reduces it a great  
deal if the wing begins to flutter (this last issue prevented  
pterosaurs from utilizing the same degree of span reduction in flight  
as birds use).

--Mike


Michael Habib
Assistant Professor of Biology
Chatham University
Woodland Road, Pittsburgh PA  15232
Buhl Hall, Room 226A
mhabib@chatham.edu
(443) 280-0181



On Mar 23, 2010, at 9:33 PM, David Peters wrote:

> Wing folding:
>
> Inboard or outboard of the elbow?
>
> You can probably guess what I would say, but I'll weigh in after  
> others have spoken.
>
> David Peters
> St. Louis