The Ornithosauria: An elementary study of the bones of Pterodactyles made from fossil remains found in the Cambridge Upper Greensand, and arranged in the Woodwardian Museum of the University of CambridgeSeeley, H. G. (Harry Govier)
Science
The Ornithosauria: An elementary study of the bones of Pterodactyles made from fossil remains found in the Cambridge Upper Greensand, and arranged in the Woodwardian Museum of the University of Cambridge
Seeley, H. G. (Harry Govier)
Pterosauria
The points in which it is distinct from birds are that the bone is
not produced proximally beyond the glenoid cavity for the humerus,
which, instead of being lateral as in birds, and looking outward,
in Pterodactyles forms the proximal-termination of the bone. The
sternal articulation is proportionally much shorter transversely in
Pterodactyles, terminating in a convex margin which rounds up into the
thin outer margin, as in the immature coracoid of the common Cock.
It is bow-shaped in front instead of being straight, and is commonly
longer than in birds. The usual ossified connection with the scapula
is not entirely unparalleled in birds, the whole pectoral girdle being
sometimes anchylosed into a bony mass as in the frigate bird.
In the monotremata, the only mammals in which the coracoids are
separate bones, they rather recall those of Ichthyosaurus than those of
any other animals, and have no connection with the sternum. The bone
which represents it functionally in placental mammals is the clavicle.
In no reptile is there any structure resembling the Ornithosaurian
coracoid. The nearest approximation is made by the Crocodile, in which
as in the Chameleon the pectoral girdle is formed as in pterodactyles
and struthious birds by scapula, coracoid and sternum. But in the
Crocodile the coracoid is compressed, and expanded from side to side
both proximally and distally. Distally it has no synovial articulation
with the sternum; and proximally a wide process of the bone extends
beyond the articulation for the humerus as in birds, only the scapula
unites with the prolonged part, and the glenoid cavity looks forward
and inward.
The coracoid is essentially avian in its affinities, though with
peculiar characters of its own. In the German genera it closely
resembles specimens from the Cambridge Greensand.
23 specimens are exhibited. Nos. 4, 10, 12, are the middle parts of
shafts of left coracoids. Nos. 3-12, 22, are the middle parts of shafts
of right coracoids. Nos. 2, 5, 14, are proximal ends of left coracoids.
Nos. 1, 6, 8, 9, 23, are proximal ends of right coracoids. Nos. 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, are distal ends of left coracoids. No. 13 is a
nearly perfect left coracoid, and No. 7 is the glenoid cavity for the
humerus formed by a right coracoid with the anchylosed scapula.
SCAPULA.
Pl. 1, figs. 2-12.
Case. Comp. Tablet. Specimen.
=J= _a_ 3 1-17
4 1- 6
5 1- 4
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