CT scans of Jordanian fossils reveal surprising internal bone structures in pterosaurs. Paleontologists explain how these findings reshape our understanding of ancient flight.
Paleontologists have long debated whether pterosaurs could fly. An analysis of fossils from two separate species of the ancient, winged dinosaur relatives suggest that not only did they fly, but also at least one species likely glided on air currents while another probably flapped its wings, according to arevealed a series of spiraling ridges inside the hollow bone of the creature with a 30-foot wingspan hollow.
Rosenbach’s involvement represents a confluence of luck and tech. Mantilla, her graduate advisor, had brought the fossils to the university for examination. When Rosenbach joined his group in 2016, paleontologists were just beginning to adopt CT scanning. Rosenbach had used the technology as an undergrad — but on different species. It made perfect sense for her to scan the fossils.“The only other organism I’ve seen them in is in vultures,” says Rosenbach. “Vultures soar, rather than flap.
How and why the two different pterosaur species evolved at a similar time and location to have such different bone structures remains a mystery and is up for speculation. “It could be the environment, it could be foraging style, it could be competition with other similar animals, and it could be simply just a function of their body size and the shape of their wings,” says Rosenbach. “It's most likely a combination of all of those things.”use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards.
New pterosaur remains from the Late Cretaceous of Afro-Arabia provide insight into flight capacity of large pterosaursBefore joining Discover Magazine, Paul spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
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