Flight and flight control in short-tailed Pterosaurs

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Eberhard Frey
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Paläontologie
• Förderung: Förderung von 2007 bis 2011
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 36657430

The pterosaurs, a group of flying Mesozoic archosauromorphs, represent the first vertebrates to have achieved true, powered flight. While their overall appearance changed little between their appearance in the late Triassic and their extinction in the Maastrictian (Late Cretaceous), alterations in both size and configuration of the flight apparatus would have had a clear impact on their ecology and aerodynamic performance.In terms of size the range between the smallest pterosaurs, the anurognathoids, and the largest azhdarchids, e.g. Quetzalcoatlus northropi (LAWSON 1975), Hatzegopterxyx (BUFFETAUT et al 2002, 2003), is substantial. While species such as Nemicolopterus crypticus (WANG et al 2008) had a wingspan of only ~250mm Q. northropi grew to at least 10m in span, making it comparable to several modern man-made aircraft, while fragmentary remains suggest that other species (e.g. Hatzegopteryx) could grow larger still. In addition to size at least 3 separate shoulder girdle configurations have been demonstrated in the derived pterodactyloids, differing from that of the basal pterosaurian condition (FREY et al. 2003a). The evolution of the limb configurations, and their associated membranes, that formed the main and supporting flight surfaces, has yet to be fully investigated with regards to the aerodynamic and aeroelastic challenges that these animals must have faced operating at such vastly different sizes and in a variety of environmental conditions.This project seeks to investigate the aerodynamic performance of basal and derived pterosaurs and thus provides a study that differs from previous attempts by considering taxa which represent both a wide range of size and flight configurations. Through an examination of key specimens and the application of new analytical techniques (e.g. Physical/computer modelling, FEA) this work will be extended into innovating research on pterosaur flight mechanics. We expect accompanying insights into the origins and evolution of short-tailed pterosaurs and an answer to the question, why this group could evolve such a wide range of flight apparatuses? It also seeks how such alterations can be coupled with the diversification of feeding habits and increasing gigantism towards the end of the Cretaceous Period. Finally it aims to investigate the observed change from basal long tailed, short necked taxa to the small tail, long necked pterodactyloids and document the aerodynamic significance of this fundamental change in morphology. Aerodynamic influences can then be considered as part of a wider theory on what drove the evolutionary mechanisms between pterodactyloid and non-pterodactyloid pterosaurs.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sachbeihilfen
• Internationaler Bezug: China
• Beteiligte Personen: Professor Dr. David Hone; Professor Dr. Wolf Reiner Krüger