Pterosaurs evolved a muscular wing-body ȷunction providing multifaceted flight performance benefits: Advanced aerodynamic smoothing, sophisticated wing root control, and wing force generation [Evolution]

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrate flyers and lived for over 160 million years. However, aspects of their flight anatomy and flight performance remain unclear. Using laser-stimulated fluorescence, we observed direct soft tissue evidence of a wing root fairing in a pterosaur, a feature that smooths out the wing–body junction, reducing...

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - October 18, 2021 Category: Science Authors: Michael Pittman, Luke A. Barlow, Thomas G. Kaye, Michael B. Habib Tags: Evolution, Brief Reports Biological Sciences Source Type: research