The posture of floating pterosaurs:Ecological implications for inhabiting marine and freshwater habitats

• Published in: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
• Main Authors: Hone, David W. E., Henderson, Donald M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Pterosauria; Buoyancy; Mass; Locomotion; Ecology; Behaviour; SAUROPOD DINOSAURS; NECK POSTURE; BODY-MASS; FLIGHT; GERMANY; BIOMECHANICS; EQUILIBRIUM; PTERANODON; EVOLUTION; LIMESTONE; Canada; Nares; Branta canadensis; Canada Goose
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/1983/1f2934d0-b54d-4ef5-8cab-2fb5976a8d86; https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/1f2934d0-b54d-4ef5-8cab-2fb5976a8d86; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.11.022

The highly pneumatic skeleton of the extinct flying pterosaurs suggests that they would float high up on open water, but in a posture rather different to that of birds. However, the exact posture of the body and head remains unknown and would be critical for an ocean going pterosaur forced onto the...