meaning winged flying reptiles extinct clade order existed late end cretaceous period million years ago earliest known evolved powered flight wings formed membrane skin muscle tissues stretching dramatically lengthened fourth finger early species long fully toothed jaws long tails later forms highly reduced tail lacked teeth sported coats hair like known covered bodies parts wings spanned wide range adult sizes small largest known flying creatures time including referred popular media general public flying scientifically incorrect term dinosaur restricted reptiles descended common ancestor groups clade includes birds current scientific consensus group groups extinct marine reptiles like unlike reptiles closely related birds living colloquially referred particularly fiction journalists technically refers members genus broadly members description anatomy highly modified ancestors adaption flight bones hollow air filled like bones birds developed attachment flight muscles enlarged brain shows specialised features associated flight later backbone shoulders fused structure known served flight provide stable support shoulder blade wings wings formed membranes skin tissues primary membranes attached extremely long fourth finger arm extended sides body historically thought simple structures composed skin research shown wing membranes highly complex dynamic structures suited active style flight outer wings tip elbow strengthened closely spaced fibers called consisted distinct layers wing forming pattern superimposed function unknown exact material depending exact composition muscle elastic structures etc strengthening agents outer wing wing membranes contained thin layer muscle tissue unique complex system blood vessels evidenced wing bones larger species soft tissue preserved specimen extended system respiratory air section wing membrane parts wing wing membrane divided basic units called membrane forward wing attached wrist shoulder creating leading edge flight membrane incorporated fingers hand evidenced specimens arm membrane primary component wing stretching highly elongated fourth finger hand hind limbs exactly hind limbs anchored controversial varied species finally groups membrane stretched legs possibly connecting incorporating tail called extent membrane certain studies suggest simply connected legs involve tail rendering generally agreed non broader having membranes running legs bone unique known connected wrist helped support forward membrane wrist shoulder evidence free fingers suggests forward membrane extensive simple shoulder connection traditionally depicted life position bone controversial scientists notably argued pointed forward extending forward membrane view contradicted paper showed articulate previously thought pointed forward inward body traditionally thought proposed articulated saddle migrated view supported specimens wrist consists inner outer wrist bones excluding bone modified fused mature specimens fuse form remaining referred termed lateral pre vertically anterior surface bears deep concave opens somewhat considerable argument main wing membranes attached hind limbs fossils demonstrate wing membrane attach species modern bats flying considerable variation extent wing membranes possible like groups different species different wing designs analysis limb proportions shows considerable variation possibly reflecting variety wing plans feet skull teeth elongated jaws complement needle like teeth cases tissue preserved toothed forms small restricted jaw tips involve teeth advanced forms larger extensive bird like unlike nasal openings merged single large opening called feature likely evolved skull flight species featured elaborate best known distinctive backward pointing crest species sported extremely large incorporated soft tissue extensions bony crest base 1990s new discoveries thorough study old specimens shown far widespread previously thought mainly fact frequently extended composed completely bone case like true extent uncovered photography discovery showed primitive previously thought restricted advanced hair like known head body similar sharing common structure hair reported specimen recent finds technology examination specimens provided proof coats true hair seen mammals unique structure developed similar appearance cases internal structural fibers wing membrane mistaken true hair fossils translates demon head body unlike modern day bats example evolution head coats cover large jaws specimens found far speculated feathers available impressions like found bird like specimens fossil record structured similarly feathers flexible short specimens simple apparently lacking internal detail aside central canal found preserved concentrated dense fibers similar found surrounding mammals suggest coats thickness comparable mammals parts covered coat thickness surface area covered definitely varied species presence demands flight imply warm absence wings suggests coat aerodynamic function lending support idea evolved aid common warm animals necessary conserve heat created hair obviously distinct fur animal required new separate term meaning dense coined paper soft tissue impressions colleagues research genetic code american embryos suggest feathers based construction beta history discovery fossil described italian naturalist specimen creature long limbs scientists continued support aquatic interpretation german zoologist suggested wings suggested flying creatures coined specimen recovered germany scientific names official genus continued popularly incorrectly applied members avoid prefer term term specifically members genus broadly members flight mechanics flight completely understood modeled time japanese scientist calculations modern birds concluded impossible stay aloft book posture able fly oxygen rich dense atmosphere late cretaceous period authors posture based research outdated theories like size limit apply terrestrial furthermore concluded atmospheric differences present needed giant size issue difficult understand took earlier suggestions largely cold animals warmth environment like modern burning case unclear enormously large giant inefficient cold manage bird like takeoff strategy hind limbs generate thrust getting airborne later research shows instead warm having powerful flight muscles flight muscles walking suggested mechanism obtain flight tremendous power winged enable ease aloft reach speeds kilometres hour mph travel thousands kilometres commissioned engineer build half scale working model replica launched ground based flew times filmed film wing model correct embodied vertical horizontal tail longer tail changing weight distribution size wide range sizes ranging smallest largest air study showed lung air sac system precisely controlled skeletal breathing pump supports flow ventilation model analogous birds presence air sac system reduced density living animal like modern appeared seeing shoulder pectoral birds possessed strong respiratory system characteristics comparable modern nervous system ray study brain revealed animals massive brain region signals joints muscles skin balance organs occupied animals total brain mass birds unusually large compared animals occupy total brain mass sends signals produce small automatic movements eye muscles image animal steady large large wing size mean great deal sensory information process low relative mass birds result birds having larger brain overall indicating lived structurally simpler environment complex behaviour compared birds ground movement hip oriented facing slightly upwards head thigh bone moderately inward facing suggesting erect stance possible lift thigh horizontal position flight considerable debate 1980s suggested smaller longer walked run addition flying like road runners large number later found distinctive hind foot foot prints walking unlike walk toes heels held ground fossil stood entire foot contact ground manner similar mammals like humans bears unidentified species walked erect posture limbs held vertically beneath body energy efficient stance modern birds mammals limbs modern reptiles erect limbs traditionally depicted awkward ground anatomy particularly suggests competent runners early long considered particularly presence large appear generally efficient ground bones unusually long compared bones arm hand particularly elongated furthermore limbs similarly fast running mammals hind limbs hand built speed long compared allowed long stride length probably run relatively fast energy efficient relative size hands feet comparison modern animals birds indicate type lifestyle led ground relatively small feet compared body size leg length foot length length lower leg suggests better adapted walking dry relatively solid ground slightly larger feet length filter feeding like large feet length adapted walking soft muddy soil similar modern birds clearly based launchers basal adapted suggesting connection natural predators known eaten july edition nature discusses early cretaceous fossil broken tooth embedded known eaten exposed joints articulated reproduction life history little known reproduction eggs rare known egg found place yielded egg flat signs cracking evidently eggs shells modern supported description additional egg belonging genus described shell like modern reptiles unlike birds fairly small compared size mother eggs species found early cretaceous deposit northwest china examination shells scanning electron showed presence thin layer membrane underneath study structure chemistry published indicated likely buried eggs like modern turtles egg burying beneficial early evolution allows weight reducing adaptations method reproduction limits variety environments live began face ecological competition birds specimen showcases pair functional opposed single functional birds dismissing reduction functional requirement powered flight wing membranes preserved embryos developed suggesting ready fly soon birth fossils days week old called found representing families including preserve bones relatively high degree age wing proportions similar adults fact considered adults placed separate species past additionally normally found sediments adults juveniles species found limestone germany brazil found deep aquatic environment far shore known practiced form parental care ability fly soon emerged egg numerous found environments far nests alongside adults led researchers including conclude young dependent parents relatively short period time period rapid growth wings grew long fly left nest fend possibly days hatching alternatively stored yolk products days life modern reptiles depend parents food growth rates hatched varied different groups primitive long tailed average growth rate year life slightly faster growth rate growth species slowed sexual maturity taken years attain maximum size contrast advanced large grew adult size year life additionally growth meaning animals reached fixed maximum adult size stopped growing daily activity patterns comparisons rings modern birds reptiles daily activity patterns genera nocturnal active day short intervals result possibly fish eating similar activity patterns modern nocturnal filter feeding similar activity patterns modern birds feed night differences activity patterns indicate niche genera evolution extinction origins anatomy heavily modified flight immediate transitional fossil predecessors far described ancestry fully understood advanced including links like ancestry basal like researchers found closely related technique called involves applying digital tracing features photo editing software images fossils bennett recovered close relatives removing characteristics hind limb analysis attempt test idea characters result evolution subsequent analysis reproduce result found closely related hind limb characters criticized previous studies raising questions conclusions reached access primary evidence fossils held weight conclusions based strictly hand interpretation concluded primitive needed clarify relationships best considered specifically given current evidence analysis sister group fall family tree found strong support clade composed recent studies basal morphology connection like basal adaptations classification phylogenetic taxonomy clade usually defined based anchored extensively studied taxa thought primitive study defined recent common ancestor descendants types definition inevitably leave related species slightly primitive remedy new definition proposed anchor particular species feature presence enlarged fourth finger supports wing membrane broader clade defined closely related internal classification historically difficult gaps fossil record starting 21st century new discoveries filling gaps giving better picture evolution traditionally organized primitive group long tailed advanced short tails traditional division largely abandoned unnatural group evolved directly common ancestor increasing use fallen favor scientists precise relationships unsettled studies relationships past included limited data highly contradictory newer studies larger data sets beginning things family tree follows phylogenetic analysis presented extinction thought competition early bird species resulted extinction end cretaceous large species known smaller species extinct niche filled birds decline actually present unrelated bird diversity ecological overlap groups appears minimal end cretaceous period cretaceous extinction event wiped non animals taken alternatively specialised ocean going lifestyle consequently cretaceous extinction event severely affected marine life fed extinct forms like marine habits early 2010s new taxa discovered dating possible non suggests late cretaceous far diverse previously thought possibly having declined significantly early cretaceous appears diversity seemingly stalled initial radiation early cretaceous apparently specialised vulnerable minor extinction events nonetheless appear diversity end cretaceous exploring unusual ecological increasing species wise dismissing notions authentic decline small sized species apparently present indicating higher diversity late cretaceous previously accounted non survived late cretaceous taxa situation late cretaceous popular culture staple popular culture long cousins usually featured prominently films literature art additionally depiction popular media changed radically response advances mainly outdated picture persisted mid 20th century generic term describe creatures animals depicted frequently represent fictionalized hybrid children toys cartoons feature like long like tails teeth combination existed nature type like crest teeth example means toy finger resemblance old inaccurate children toys depictions incorrectly identify birds real life flying reptiles birds actually descended fiction novel lost world subsequent film adaptation number films television programs including film million years animator add inaccurate bat like wing fingers stop motion models order membranes falling apart particular error common art film mainly absent notable film appearances noted intervening years film significantly updated reflect modern research errors noted 1960s 2000s teeth species intended translates wing nesting behavior known inaccurate wings membranes muscle fiber actually present required flight media appearances depicted aerial predators similar birds prey human victims feet species known far possesses feet known flat feet toes poorly case generally small tendencies possesses powerful jaws akin short neck powerful jaws interpreted larger prey
Pterosaur