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
There is a notch on each side in front at the base of the neural spine,
and another above the central articulation. The neural spines appear to
have been united by suture. It may be instructive to compare the neural
spine just described with the specimens =J=. _c_. 10.
Of the second type or genus No. 4 to 7 all show the anterior cup for
the last lumbar vertebra. No. 3, 5 and 6 all show two entire vertebræ
and part of a third preserved, but no specimen shows the posterior
termination of the sacrum. No. 7 has the articular face of the centrum
very broad, and greatly depressed. In No. 6 it is ovate and has the
neural arch preserved; above a semicircular neural canal it sends
out on each side a short horn-like zygapophysial process. No. 4 is
remarkable for the small size of the circular neural canal, the centrum
when entire measuring an inch from side to side, while the neural canal
only measures 5/16 of an inch. No. 5 is figured by Prof. Owen. No. 4-6
appear to have given off transverse processes from the sides of the
centra. No. 7 appears to widen into transverse processes at the point
of suture between the centra.
In No. 3 the base of the sacrum is flattened, and its sides pinched in,
and concave in outline from back to front. In this hollow are small
pneumatic foramina, and between the hollows the vertebræ widen in the
line of the suture so as to send out strong short transverse processes
or tubercles. Above the hollows are given out the strong horizontal
quadrate pyramidal transverse processes. All their sides are flattened
or a little concave, and the under side displays a large ovate
pneumatic foramen. Each of the four angles of the transverse process
gives off a ridge. The lower ones descend obliquely to the anterior
and posterior intersutural tubercles. The upper two ascend obliquely,
in front and behind, and form rounded ridges on the neural spine. The
neural spine is flattened, moderately compressed from side to side, and
cupped a little over each transverse process. In front the neural spine
is flattened transversely and perpendicular; the transverse processes
are also flattened and a little in advance of the neural spine.
The sacrum in its general aspect is Mammalian. In the Bird the
vertebræ are much more numerous and do not retain their individuality
so well. In Reptiles properly so called, the sacrum never includes more
than two or three vertebræ, and those commonly remain unanchylosed. But
in almost any placental Mammal in which several vertebræ are anchylosed
together, a sacrum similar to that of the Pterodactyle is met with. No
mammalian sacrum, however, is furnished with pneumatic foramina.
Caudal Vertebræ.
Pl. 10.
Case. Comp. Tablet. Specimen.
=J= _c_ 5 1-13
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