From MinuteEarth.
Help stop the worst parts of factory farming: https://www.farmkind.giving/minute-earth?promo=minute_earth
The Quetzalcoatlus – one of the largest pterosaurs that ever lived – was able to fly even though it was the size of a giraffe! How on Earth did this giant manage to fly?
LEARN MORE
**************
To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords:
– Pterosaurs: are an extinct clade of flying reptiles in the order Pterosauria and are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight.
– Quetzalcoatlus: is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur. Quetzalcoatlus northropi has gained fame as a candidate for the largest flying animal ever discovered.
– Deltopectoral crest: is a forward directed bony flange on the upper part of the humerus. It provided insertion surfaces for muscles of the shoulder and chest.
– Postcranial pneumaticity: is the presence of air-filled cavities inside bones of the body (everything except the skull) that are connected to the respiratory system.
– Quad Launch (also Quadrupedal launch): is a takeoff method where an animal launches into the air using all four limbs—both the hind legs and the forelimbs.
If you liked this week’s video, you might also like:
Our friends at @Howtown recently made a video about the Quetzalcoatlus and it’s great! (They even got to chat with Mark Witton!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vea06e6x_E
Fascinating in-depth video about everything we know about Quetzalcoatlus, by @YourDinosaursAreWrong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCdOVC7CcXk
SUPPORT MINUTEEARTH
**************************
If you like what we do, you can help us!:
– Become our patron: https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth
– Our merch: http://dftba.com/minuteearth
– Our book: https://minuteearth.com/books
– Sign up to our newsletter: http://news.minuteearth.com
– Share this video with your friends and family
– Leave us a comment (we read them!)
CREDITS
*********
Ever Salazar | Script Writer, Narrator, Illustrator, Video Editor, Animator and Director
Dr. Krishma Singal (Postdoctoral Researcher – Rice University) | Storyboard Artist
Cony Pérez https://www.instagram.com/con0mmm/ | Storyboard Artist
Sarah Berman | Illustrator, Video Editor, and Animator
Nathaniel Schroeder | Music
MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC
https://neptunestudios.info
OUR STAFF
************
Lizah van der Aart • Sarah Berman • Cameron Duke
Arcadi Garcia i Rius • David Goldenberg • Melissa Hayes
Henry Reich • Ever Salazar • Leonardo Souza • Kate Yoshida
OTHER CREDITS
*****************
Rhamphorhynchus Fossil In Berlin
Photo by: Uwe Jelting
OUR LINKS
************
Youtube | https://youtube.com/MinuteEarth
TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@minuteearth
Twitter | https://twitter.com/MinuteEarth
Instagram | https://instagram.com/minute_earth
Facebook | https://facebook.com/Minuteearth
Website | https://minuteearth.com
Apple Podcasts| https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/minuteearth/id649211176
REFERENCES
**************
Hone, David W.E., (2023). The anatomy and diversity of the pterosaurian sternum. Palaeontologia Electronica. https://doi.org/10.26879/1261
Padian, K., et al (2021) Functional morphology of Quetzalcoatlus Lawson 1975, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2020.1780247
Witton, M. (2018). "Why we think giant pterosaurs could fly". Mark P. Witton’s blog. https://markwitton-com.blogspot.com/2018/05/why-we-think-giant-pterosaurs-could-fly.html
Sullivan, T., et al (2017). Extreme lightweight structures: Avian feathers and bones. Materials Today. 20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2017.02.004
Martin, E. G., & Palmer, C. (2014) Air Space Proportion in Pterosaur Limb Bones Using Computed Tomography and Its Implications for Previous Estimates of Pneumaticity. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097159
D.T. Ksepka (2014). Flight performance of the largest volant bird, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111 (29) 10624-10629, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1320297111
Claessens LPAM, O’Connor PM, Unwin DM (2009) Respiratory Evolution Facilitated the Origin of Pterosaur Flight and Aerial Gigantism. PLOS ONE 4(2): e4497. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004497
Witton M, Naish D (2008). A Reappraisal of Azhdarchid Pterosaur Functional Morphology and Paleoecology. PLOS ONE 3(5): e2271. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0002271
Witton, M. (2008). A new approach to determining pterosaur body mass and its implications for pterosaur flight. Zitteliana Reihe B: Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Staatssammlung fur Palaontologie und Geologie. B28. 143-158.
S. Christopher Bennett, 2003. "Morphological evolution of the pectoral girdle of pterosaurs: myology and function", Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. https://doi.org/10.1144/gsl.sp.2003.217.01.12
