Re: Rhamphorhynchus wrist articulation

[John Conway <john.a.conway@gmail.com>]

Nick Pharris wrote:
> Quoting "James R. Cunningham" <jrccea@bellsouth.net>:
> > As the elbow is extended, the entire wrist swings aft and down 
> > relative to the
> > r/u. As the wrist itself is flexed, it swings forward and down (sort 
> > of like a
> > cocked-pin joint).  The wrist itself does not rotate about the long 
> > axis of the
> > r/u.  However, metacarpal IV can rotate about 20 degrees about its 
> > long axis,
> > on a mortise and tenon articulation between it and the distal carpal.
>
> Just out of curiosity, is this all specific to *Rhamphorhynchus*, or 
> does it apply to pterosaurs generally, based on, say *Quetzalcoatlus*?

Well, it applies to /Anhanguera/ as well. I don't know about 
rhamphorynchoids.

..........................
John Conway - palaeontographer
http://palaeo.jconway.co.uk