The pterosaurs were flying reptiles That the skies dominated at the time of the dinosaurs, but they were also adapted to walking: ancient footprint Find in different parts of the world and dating back to about 160 million years ago They now reveal their conquest of the mainland, witnessing a crucial moment of transition for these animals. This is demonstrated by the study published in the magazine Current Biology and led by the British University of Leicester, who managed to connect the fossilized footprints to Various types of pterosauri who produced them and, consequently, to way they moved, hunted and lived in the different environments.
“Finally, 88 years after the discovery of the first imprints of Pterosauro, we know exactly who left them and how,” says David Unwin, among the authors of the study. “The footprints offer aunique opportunity To study the pterosaurs in their natural environment “, adds Robert Smyth, who led the researchers:“ They reveal not only where these creatures lived and how they moved – says Smyth – but also offer clues about their behavior and on theirs daily activities in ecosystems at this point disappeared for some time “.
Using models of Orme in 3D and putting them to Comparison with the skeletons fossilized pterosauri, the researchers identified three distinct groups of footprintseach of which light on lifestyles and different behaviors. For example, some were found in coastal depositslong Muddy or shallow lagoon banks, Where These animals hunted small fish or other floating animals, while others in rocky layers who also retain the remains of the pterosaurs themselves: in this case, the reptiles used theirs curved beak to be preyed and the great rounded teeth for shatter molluscs And other very hard foods.
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