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I`ve been staring at Longisquama again, and I
still don`t like the idea of feathers (if they are that) stuck on it`s back. Is
there strong evidence for this attachment? All I have to go are drawings similar
to the one at Dave Peter`s site: http://home.stlnet.com/~azero/Longisquama.html
The way the "feathers" seem to
converge at the base might indicate, perhaps, a tail section of the beast
covered and obscured by it`s anterior section. The long feathers may attach to a
short tail or pygostyle.
Also, I was wondering if the pygostyle of
Anurognathus (view it at:http://home.stlnet.com/~azero/anurognathus.html
), didn`t also support attached "feathers" of some kind. The same for
short tailed pterodactyloids and rhamphorynchoids without a tail membrane.
Someone may point out if I`m wrong here, but....I know of no birds that fly
without tail feathers (and was recently reminded of this by seeing a fledgling
crow, short in the tail department, on the ground being fed by it`s
parent).
Also, before someone mentions bats, I am
presuming pterosaurs flew in a more birdlike fashion, and would therefor require
similar aerodynamic morphology.
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