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Post by mihnea on Jan 11, 2012 12:29:10 GMT
In WWD, the species was portrayed as being insectivore, feeding on parasites living on the backs of Diplodocus specimens, just like some modern day African birds. Scientists say this kind of behaviour may be plausible due to paralel evolution. Well, I came up with another theory: that Anurognathus acted like bats. They were diurnal, so they wouldn't have needed ecolocation, big ears or caves, but they could have gathered in big colonies up in the canopy just like flying foxes do, and they could have hung upside down from the branches after having eaten some paleo-mosquitos.  |
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Post by Horridus on Jan 11, 2012 19:13:27 GMT
One thing - they couldn't hang upside down. Pterosaurs didn't actually have grasping feet. The only reason so many people think they do is pop culture inertia (pterosaurs carrying people away in movies and the like...).
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Post by sbell on Jan 11, 2012 19:25:07 GMT
I don't think this is a theory--this is a blue-skying what-if scenario that requires a lot of maybe's.
It just seems to me that there is a lot supposition in there--unless large numbers of anurognathines have been found together in cave environments. Were they even found in an environment where caves would be expected (answer? no--skeletons are found from the Solnhofen limestones)? Also, what in their skeleton dictates diurnaility versus crepuscular or nocturnal behaviour?
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Post by mihnea on Jan 11, 2012 20:39:10 GMT
I did not expect such a small pterosaur not to have grasping feet. Evolution can be so strange.  The reason I started this thread was to find out if I could display my soon to arrive Primeval standing Anurognathus (whose pose is totally wrong compared to the flying ones which I will also get) upside down stuck to a branch in my display. It would have been something interesting. I still think I will do it. ;D |
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Post by Horridus on Jan 11, 2012 21:14:48 GMT
Your call. But unless they've inaccurately given it grasping feet, it will look a bit strange! Positively gravity-defying actually...
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Post by sbell on Jan 11, 2012 21:16:22 GMT
Your call. But unless they've inaccurately given it grasping feet, it will look a bit strange! Positively gravity-defying actually... I have those--and the pose is definitely a standing pose. |
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Post by Horridus on Jan 11, 2012 21:19:31 GMT
Your call. But unless they've inaccurately given it grasping feet, it will look a bit strange! Positively gravity-defying actually... I have those--and the pose is definitely a standing pose. Yeah, but does it have grasping feet? It can still be in a standing pose and have wrong feet. |
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Post by sbell on Jan 11, 2012 21:41:26 GMT
I have those--and the pose is definitely a standing pose. Yeah, but does it have grasping feet? It can still be in a standing pose and have wrong feet. I would say not, as the picture shows. Those feet don't grasp. Attachments:
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Post by mihnea on Jan 11, 2012 22:59:40 GMT
I would have stuck it there with white desk clay.
Anyway, it is still wrong, isn't it?
Pterosaurs stand on all 4 legs.
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Post by sbell on Jan 12, 2012 2:07:28 GMT
I would have stuck it there with white desk clay. Anyway, it is still wrong, isn't it? Pterosaurs stand on all 4 legs. I've seen refutations of that, so not sure. For little guys like these they probably could get about on two, but in the big ones it seems they probably had to lean on 4. |
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Post by arioch on Jan 12, 2012 11:41:57 GMT
Because of their strange anatomy all pterosaurs are obligate quadrupedals, I don´t see how their size could change that. They just totally lack the balance to stand on their hindlimbs. Only David Peters seem to think otherwise, but all of his theories are laughing stock for any true paleontologist, so...
The only thing anurognathids may have in common with bats is their diet ( insects and small flying bugs) and the furry bodies...
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Post by dinoguy2 on Jan 12, 2012 11:56:47 GMT
Because of their strange anatomy all pterosaurs are obligate quadrupedals, I don´t see how their size could change that. They just totally lack the balance to stand on their hindlimbs. Only David Peters seem to think otherwise, but all of his theories are laughing stock for any true paleontologist, so... The only thing anurognathids may have in common with bats is their diet ( insects and small flying bugs) and the furry bodies... Right. Center of balance in pterosaurs was squarely over the shoulders. IF any evolved to walk bipedally, it would probably be on their hands, like the giant flightless bats in "After Man"! |
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Post by Griffin on Jan 13, 2012 0:12:21 GMT
From what I know the pterodactyloids were pretty adept walkers on all fours. The rhamphorincoids are believed to have been more awkward on the ground.
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