Dragons of the Air: An Account of Extinct Flying ReptilesSeeley, H. G. (Harry Govier)
Science
Dragons of the Air: An Account of Extinct Flying Reptiles
Seeley, H. G. (Harry Govier)
Pterosauria
Complete English specimens of tibia and fibula are found in the genus
Dimorphodon from the Lias, in which the terminal pulley of the distal
end has some expansion, and is placed forward towards the front of the
tibia, as in some birds. The rounded surface of the pulley is rather
better marked than in birds. The proximal end of the shaft is relatively
stout, and is modified by the well-developed fibula, which is a short
external splint bone limited to the upper half of the tibia, as in
birds; but contributing with it to form the articular surface for the
support of the lower end of the femur, taking a larger share in that
work than in birds. Frequently there is no trace of the fibula visible
in Solenhofen specimens as preserved; or it is extremely slender and
bird-like, as in _Pterodactylus longirostris_. In Rhamphorhynchus it
appears to extend the entire length of the tibia, as in Dinosaurs. In
the specimens from the Cambridge Greensand there is indication of a
small proximal crest to the tibia with a slight ridge, but no evidence
that this is due to a separate ossification. The patella, or knee-cap,
is not recognised in any fossil of the group. There is no indication of
a fibula in the specimens thus far known from the Chalk rocks either of
Kansas in America, or in England.
The region of the tarsus varies from the circumstance that in many
specimens the tibia terminates downward in a rounded pulley, like the
drum-stick of a bird; while in other specimens this union of the
proximal row of the tarsal bones with the tibia does not take place, and
then there are two rows of separate tarsal bones, usually with two bones
in each row. When the upper row is united with the tibia the lower row
remains distinct from the metatarsus, though no one has examined these
separate tarsal bones so as to define them.
THE FOOT
[Illustration: FIG. 35. METATARSUS AND DIGITS IN THREE TYPES OF
ORNITHOSAURS]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account