Re: Patagium attachment Was: Re: Pterosaur.net

[Mike Habib <habib@jhmi.edu>]

On Jan 19, 2010, at 10:27 AM, David Peters wrote:

> It would probably help in understanding. Jim, if this model wing of  
> yours is a deep wing attached to the ankles or a shallow wing  
> attached at mid thigh. I'm guessing the former because you  
> mentioned, "Increasing the inner wing tension of the retracted wings  
> during a dive by use of hindlimb positioning..."

Just worth noting here that a wing can be attached to the ankles and  
still be primarily narrow in its chord through most of its length.   
Therefore presuming a broad or narrow overall wing, based only on  
attachment, is a error.  The outboard wing in every well preserved  
brachiopatagium is narrow.  At the same time, several specimens seem  
to show some hindlimb attachment - the most simple explanation is  
therefore that the attachment was broad but the wing was narrow.

Cheers,

--Mike


Michael Habib
Assistant Professor of Biology
Chatham University
Woodland Road, Pittsburgh PA  15232
Buhl Hall, Room 226A
mhabib@chatham.edu
(443) 280-0181



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