Re: Combined answer Archaeopteryx running...

[Graydon <graydon@dsl.ca>]

On Fri, Mar 08, 2002 at 12:09:38PM -0800, James R. Cunningham sent:
> Williams, Tim wrote:
> > However, at a certain point (probably early in the Pygostylia) it
> > became advantageous to dedicate the manus and carpus to flight, so
> > both were absorbed into the wing.
> 
> Then why did pterosaurs retain the manus all the way to the K/T?

Because they walked on it?

That seems to be the essential distinction; there's a lot of advantage
to not having your primary limbs skidding around when you're moving on
the ground.

-- 
graydon@dsl.ca   |  Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre,
                 |  mod sceal þe mare þe ure maegen lytlað.
                 |   -- Beorhtwold, "The Battle of Maldon"