Pterosaur dissection
Pterosaurs were real animals that shared a common ancestry with amphibians, other reptiles, and mammals. In our imagination, if we could actually dissect a pterosaur, it might look something like this.
- 1
Wing finger
The wing surface is made from a skin membrane supported by an extremely long fourth finger, the wing finger. The bones are as stout as the others in the arm and normally longer than the arm.
- 2
Wing membrane
Pterosaur wings were made from tissue layers of blood vessels, muscles, and parallel strengthening fibers called actinofibrils. They helped stiffen the wings and reduce vibrations.
- 3
Pteroid
This bone is only found in pterosaurs. It was anchored on the wrist, and probably connected by a tendon to the shoulder. It supported a front wing membrane (propatagium) in the bend of the elbow.
- 4
Forearm
Like our fingers, the wing finger was controlled by tendons attached to muscles in the forearm, but they were as large and powerful as those in the upper arm.
- 5
Upper arm and shoulder
Like birds and bats, pterosaurs had powerful chest and shoulder muscles that allowed them to flap their huge wings and fly as efficiently as birds.
