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[ORDER]: Pterosaurs aka pterodactyls
Topic Started: May 23 2011, 06:34 PM (725 Views)
rainbow_unicorn
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Tepig
Why aren't these in dinosaurs you ask? Because they aren't dinosaurs; they are flying reptiles. They are also really cool too. Wish they were alive today. If only they were big enough to ride...




Pterosaurs
Temporal range: Late Triassic–Late Cretaceous, 220–65 Ma
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Replica Geosternbergia sternbergi skeletons, male (right) and female (left)
Scientific classification [ e ]
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
clade:Ornithodira
Order:†Pterosauria
Kaup, 1834
Suborders
†Pterodactyloidea
†Rhamphorhynchoidea *


Pterosaurs ( /ˈtɛrəsɔr/, from the Greek πτερόσαυρος, pterosauros, meaning "winged lizard", often referred to as pterodactyls, from the Greek πτεροδάκτυλος, pterodaktulos, meaning "winged finger" /ˌtɛrəˈdæktɨl/) were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period (220 to 65.5 million years ago). Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight. Their wings were formed by a membrane of skin, muscle, and other tissues stretching from the legs to a dramatically lengthened fourth finger. Early species had long, fully-toothed jaws and long tails, while later forms had a highly reduced tail, and some lacked teeth. Many sported furry coats made up of hair-like filaments known as pycnofibres, which covered their bodies and parts of their wings. Pterosaurs spanned a wide range of adult sizes, from the very small Nemicolopterus to the largest known flying creatures of all time, including Quetzalcoatlus and Hatzegopteryx.[1][2][3]

Pterosaurs are sometimes referred to in the popular media as dinosaurs, but this is incorrect. The term "dinosaur" is properly restricted to a certain group of reptiles with a unique upright stance (superorder Dinosauria, which includes birds), and therefore excludes the pterosaurs, as well as the various groups of extinct marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs.

References

^1 Wang X, Kellner AW, Zhou Z, Campos Dde A (February 2008). "Discovery of a rare arboreal forest-dwelling flying reptile (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from China". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105 (6): 1983–7. doi:10.1073/pnas.0707728105. PMC 2538868. PMID 18268340.
^2 Lawson DA (March 1975). "Pterosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of West Texas: Discovery of the Largest Flying Creature". Science 187 (4180): 947–948. doi:10.1126/science.187.4180.947. PMID 17745279.
^3 Buffetaut E, Grigorescu D, Csiki Z (April 2002). "A new giant pterosaur with a robust skull from the latest cretaceous of Romania". Naturwissenschaften 89 (4): 180–4. doi:10.1007/s00114-002-0307-1. PMID 12061403


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterosauromorpha
Edited by Ospreyeagle, May 24 2011, 11:00 AM.
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Ospreyeagle
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EYEGASM
They are archosaurs.

The actual term is pterosaurs.
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That Snorlax you just called fat? Yeah, it's eating rare candies by the DOZEN for you to accept it. That Gastly you just called ugly? It's been trying to learn a new move to replace its Mean Look. That Slowpoke you just tripped? He has a learning disability that makes him Legally Retarded. See that Hitmonchan with the scars? He fought in Vietnam for your freedoms today. Put This As Your Status If You're Against PokeBullying. Help Save A Pokemon A Visit To The Pokecenter.
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rainbow_unicorn
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Tepig
Never heard of archosaurs, but I knew they were pterosaurs.
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Ospreyeagle
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EYEGASM
Yep. They are closer to dinosaurs than you think.

[reply]They are both in Avemetatarsalia and Ornithodira![/reply]
Edited by Ospreyeagle, May 24 2011, 10:48 AM.
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That Snorlax you just called fat? Yeah, it's eating rare candies by the DOZEN for you to accept it. That Gastly you just called ugly? It's been trying to learn a new move to replace its Mean Look. That Slowpoke you just tripped? He has a learning disability that makes him Legally Retarded. See that Hitmonchan with the scars? He fought in Vietnam for your freedoms today. Put This As Your Status If You're Against PokeBullying. Help Save A Pokemon A Visit To The Pokecenter.
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Nimor
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Servine
But they aren't exactly dinosaurs. :P
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Ospreyeagle
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EYEGASM
They are related is what I'm trying to say.
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That Snorlax you just called fat? Yeah, it's eating rare candies by the DOZEN for you to accept it. That Gastly you just called ugly? It's been trying to learn a new move to replace its Mean Look. That Slowpoke you just tripped? He has a learning disability that makes him Legally Retarded. See that Hitmonchan with the scars? He fought in Vietnam for your freedoms today. Put This As Your Status If You're Against PokeBullying. Help Save A Pokemon A Visit To The Pokecenter.
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Nimor
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Servine
Fine. :P
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Ospreyeagle
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EYEGASM
But you're right, they aren't dinos :P
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That Snorlax you just called fat? Yeah, it's eating rare candies by the DOZEN for you to accept it. That Gastly you just called ugly? It's been trying to learn a new move to replace its Mean Look. That Slowpoke you just tripped? He has a learning disability that makes him Legally Retarded. See that Hitmonchan with the scars? He fought in Vietnam for your freedoms today. Put This As Your Status If You're Against PokeBullying. Help Save A Pokemon A Visit To The Pokecenter.
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Nimor
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Servine
Yeah, but they are cooler... None of the dinosaurs can fly... :P
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Ospreyeagle
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EYEGASM
Birds are dinosaurs. Microraptor could somewhat fly, but albeit weakly.
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That Snorlax you just called fat? Yeah, it's eating rare candies by the DOZEN for you to accept it. That Gastly you just called ugly? It's been trying to learn a new move to replace its Mean Look. That Slowpoke you just tripped? He has a learning disability that makes him Legally Retarded. See that Hitmonchan with the scars? He fought in Vietnam for your freedoms today. Put This As Your Status If You're Against PokeBullying. Help Save A Pokemon A Visit To The Pokecenter.
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