Thread by @weatherindia

Scientists Solve 200-Year-Long Mystery Behind Origin of #Pterosaurs—First-Known Flying Animals

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By @deekshith_np

#Evolution happens in the form of small, gradual, progressive changes over thousands, even millions of years. The tree of evolution acts as a guide to trace back the evolutionary pathway of a particular species to understand different traits it possesses.

The case of the most-popular ancient flying creature, #pterosaurs, however, was quite peculiar!

Palaeontologists had little clue about the predecessor of #pterosaurs till now. Therefore, the evolutionary history behind how these fascinating creatures developed the ability to fly with their large bodies was largely unknown.

Now, a study published in the reputable journal Nature reveals that small, dinosaur-like animals known as lagerpetids were, in fact, the closest evolutionary relatives of #pterosaurs.

200-year-long mystery

#Pterosaurs dominated the skies for a long period of time—around 150 million year—before they went extinct along with dinosaurs during the last mass extinction event 66 million years ago.

These winged creatures are often referred to as the closest replica of legendary dragons—the large, serpentine mythical creature. For #palaeontologists, the origin of pterosaurs has remained a mystery for more than 200 years now due to the lack of convincing evidence.

Now, an international team of researchers led by Martín D. Ezcurra from the University of Birmingham, have concluded that lagerpetids could be a sister group of pterosaurs. Lagerpetids belong to a group of two-legged reptiles that existed even before the #dinosaurs.

The researchers have based their inference on the evidence from the newly discovered skulls and skeletons from North America, Brazil, Argentina and Madagascar.

#Pterosaurs

New skeletons shed light on ancient history

Using micro-computed tomography scans and 3D reconstructions, the palaeontologists left no stone unturned in tracing the origin of pterosaurs.

Back in the 1930s and 1940s, researchers had unearthed the fossils of a particular species of lagerpetid in Texas, which demonstrated its ability to maintain equilibrium while being an agile animal.

#Pterosaurs

With more skeletons from South America, the species was better understood as a small, wingless reptile that roamed around the ancient continent of Pangea from 237 to 210 million years ago.

#Pterosaurs

The recent discovery, however, of many lagerpetid skulls, forelimbs, and vertebrae from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Madagascar, changed the minds of several palaeontologists.

Some mysteries still remain unanswered

Before the discovery of lagerpetids as the closest relatives to pterosaurs, the flight capabilities in the latter was thought to have evolved in a very short period of time.

The discovery of this missing ‘middle man’ has now helped palaeontologists conclude that pterosaurs also evolved with the same pace as any other contemporary reptile species.

#Pterosaurs

There are more mysteries, however, that still remain unanswered about the origin of pterosaurs. The most intriguing question that is yet to be answered is why lagerpetids still lacked the key characteristics of pterosaurs like wings.

The palaeontologists have continued their relentless pursuit of answers to these nagging evolutionary questions.

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Meanwhile, the new research has certainly made it easier to understand the incredible pterosaurs better.

#Pterosaurs

Scientists say that this evidence is one of the first steps towards creating an assembly of the unique #pterosaur body plan, whose conquest of the air represents one of the most astonishing innovations in vertebrate evolution.