Comments on: Pterosaurs hanging around

By: David Hone

David Hone — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 09:13:25 +0000

I’m not sure what the hands are doing to be honest and I don’t think it’s ever been discussed seriously. I’d go against hanging for the same general reasons (different finger lengths, and the feet are not adapted for it) but I’d agree that in general, the hands look rather better adapted for climbing / clinging that do the feet. I have some ideas but that’s a work in progress and I don’t want to discuss it online, sorry! But yes, there is a discrepancy between the hands and feet suggesting they were doing rather different things.

By: David Hone

David Hone — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 09:08:41 +0000

Well yeah which is why I said some do have rather big claws. But while these ones are long and curved this is unusual for a pterosaur. They are also not as robust as those of bats and sloths, and the toes are still different lengths. Plus that one was a big animal (4+ m in wingspan) which to me also borders on the improbably for hanging from a branch as you’d need a damned big one to hang from (plus it’s an azhdarchid for which in general there is good evidence for terrestriality). So this sole exception is still a pretty poor candidate for hanging.

By: Mickey Mortimer

Mickey Mortimer — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 09:02:22 +0000

What about the strongly curved pedal claw sheaths described by Frey et al. (2003)? Your photos show the claws with sheaths on the presumed bat, but with just the bony core on the pterosaur and sloth. Frey et al.’s specimens suggest the claws themselves were more curved than the bare unguals show.

Frey, E., Tischlinger, H., Buchy, M.C. and Martill, D.M., 2003. New specimens of Pterosauria (Reptilia) with soft parts with implications for pterosaurian anatomy and locomotion. in Buffetaut, E. and Mazin, J.M. (eds.). Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. 217, 233–266.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 04:52:54 +0000

So, what is the verdict on pterosaurs hanging from their hands?

Bats, too, have strong curved claws on their hands, or at least on their thumbs. Big fruit bats “walk” along branches upside down, quadrupedal.

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Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:40:34 +0000

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