SVP abstracts: Pteroid Articulation
Confirmation of Peters (2009)
Kellner et al. (2012) confirm that the pteroid was articulated to the radiale (fused to the ulnare to create the proximal syncarpal) in a well articulated wing skeleton of a South American pterosaur. From their abstract, “New exquisitely preserved specimens from the Romualdo Formation (Albian) of Brazil can settle this question. Some show a distinct articulation surface on the dorsal region of the proximal syncarpal, close to the articular facet for the radius. This feature is observed in both anhanguerids and tapejarids and is the strongest candidate for the articulation of the pteroid. Among the most interesting material is a specimen that represents the almost complete wings of an anhanguerid individual and possesses the pteroid directly in articulation with the proximal syncarpal. As the proximal carpals are fused into a proximal syncarpal in osteologically mature specimens, this position constrains the pteroid to a more medial orientation regarding the edge of the wing, avoiding subjecting this bone to heavy loads if it would have been projected anteriorly.”
You can see the evolution and migration of the pteroid here, here and here.
Nice to get confirmation/vindication. That’s encouraging. Now let’s get on the other topics and make similar tests!
As always, I encourage readers to see specimens, make observations and come to your own conclusions. Test. Test. And test again.
Evidence and support in the form of nexus, pdf and jpeg files will be sent to all who request additional data.
References
Kellner AW, Costa FR, and Rodrigues T. 2012. New Evidence on the pteroid articulation and orientation in pterosaurs. Abstracts, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Peters D 2009. A reinterpretation of pteroid articulation in pterosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29: 1327-1330.
2012-10-19 22:43:35
Source: http://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/svp-abstracts-pteroid-articulation/
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