AZHDARCHID ENVIRONMENTS

[darren.naish@port.ac.uk]

Betty C wrote...

> the LINE drawings in question (NOT the painting) show 2 views of Q
> (scavenging like a vulture on a large carcass and as an active
> predator)- to illustrate the conflicting theories of lifestyle. The
> line drawings don't illustrate such an exclusive marine existance as
> you take umbrage against.

I was thinking that we were talking about Sibbick's newer illustration 
that shows two hang-glider-like azhdarchids skim-feeding over the sea. 
I've only seen it published in pamphlets and booklets: we have a big 
blown up version here at the department (together with our lifesize 
_Arambourgiania_ wing).  I should explain why it is that this painting 
shows the azhdarchids as being marine: the reason is that the type 
specimen of _Arambourgiania_ was recovered from rocks that were 
apparently deposited well away from shore in a fully marine 
environment. I've been told that the place of deposition was literally 
100s of km from the palaeoshoreline. Was _Arambourgiania_ really a 
marine feeder while _Quetzalcoatlus_ was freshwater? I suspect these 
animals could feed from both environments, and I don't see why they 
didn't.

"You assume too much"

DARREN NAISH 
PALAEOBIOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP
School of Earth, Environmental & Physical Sciences
UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH
Burnaby Building
Burnaby Road                           email: darren.naish@port.ac.uk
Portsmouth UK                          tel: 01703 446718
P01 3QL