The Origin of Pterosaurs from Evolution: The Grand Experiment Book and Video Series

[xodarap]

As regards the apparent 'missing links': one possibility is that the early stages of evolution of pterosaurs occurred in the forests of the continent we now call Antarctica. It is therefore possible that fossils might still exist there but won't be found for a very long time until people have a reason to remove the ice and un-eroded sedimentary overburden from such a place.

Alternatively glaciation may have destroyed all trace.

[DevilRaptorB]

it seems some idiots are butthurts over the fact that there is no transitional form that proves what the believe in

[JennyFarlopez]

Herp derp. I am a creashunist. I been homeschoholed and know better than all evilushunist scientists with their fancy PhDs. Science is a lie from Satin to drive Americunts away from Cheesus.

[DAVIDPETERS12C]

The origin of pterosaurs is covered in detail at:

reptileevolution and pterosaurheresies

Cosesaurus, Sharovipteryx and Longisquama had a pterosaurian prepubis, antorbital fenestra and sternal complex among many other pterosaur-like traits

[fairlanejay]

@DAVIDPETERS12C Peters (2000) found that Cosesaurus nested with Sharovipteryx, Longisquama and pterosaurs in a clade, the Fenestrasauria,[3] though at least his inclusion of pterosaurs in this group has not been supported by any other researchers, who criticized his methods as flawed.

[DAVIDPETERS12C]

@fairlanejay

Thank you FairlaneJay. Other researchers have indeed criticized my methods, as I have criticized their's. The key is always evidence, some of which can be found at reptileevolution dotcom and in the various papers referenced therein. It's embarrassing to have "experts" act like this when phylogenetic analysis can nest bats & dolphins with elephants; birds with sauropods; and pterosaurs with basal lizards like Huehuecuetzpalli, Cosesaurus, etc. if only they would try.

[fairlanejay]

@DAVIDPETERS12C @DAVIDPETERS12C Thanks David, I'm sure there are just arguments for both sides of the clade assignment. I'm not in a place to argue clade, I'm not an expert, but it just affirms this was a creature whose mysteries are not fully unraveled.

[PinkProgram]

Perfectly developed? I don't think they know what the word means.

[FiverBeyond]

It is easy to look through the lists of thousands of species known to search for ones whose ancestors are not known. The Theory of Evolution never suggests or implies a gapless fossil record, but instead says that every fossil we find should fit into the tree of life paradigm, and that a multitude of transitional forms should be found.

Both of these predictions have been fulfilled beautifully.

[TheScienceFoundation]

new scientist put out an article over a year ago detailing the 'tree-down' evolution of Pterosaurs from a small perching Pterosaur that was found

[fairlanejay]

@TheScienceFoundation Portions of its skull are not fully fused, which suggests it may not have reached its full adult size, but its well-developed limb bones make clear that it is much older than a hatchling. This new release from "New scientist says " Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to take to the air, first appearing in the fossil record some 220 million years ago in the late Triassic period.

This creature was 120 million years old, sounds like a baby pterosaur.  any questions?

[fairlanejay]

@fairlanejay Sorry heres the important part, from new scientist, The fossil's discoverers think it provides evidence that the beasts produced clutches of young and provided no parental care – essentially suggesting that hatchlings could fly. Its now agreed by others Baby Pterosaur's had fully developed flying capability, a very rare characteristic for flying animals.

[DAVIDPETERS12C]

@fairlanejay

Indeed the pterosaur hatchlings were fully formed and ready to fly. The eggs were held, one at a time, within the mother until just before hatching, as in several lizards. Proportionally, the hatchlings were identical to the adults, which is generally rare, but common within this particular lizard clade, as demonstrated by the basal lizard Huehuecuetzpalli and all known pterosaur embryos.

[fairlanejay]

@DAVID Obviously we havent enough info for deducing or finding its intermediary, or a creature with shorter wrist bones and semi extended membrane to facilitate gliding. To me Sharovipteryx is the most interesting but of course it seems a little amiss as I'm sure your aware in its rear leg / membrane arrangement. Is it a precursor?its dating seems to be near the same time as pterosaur, but dating 2 species from different substrates leaves room 4 error. Its rarity could mean dead end too.

[DAVIDPETERS12C]

@fairlanejay

Please read the info on cosesaurus.htm and you'll understand the intermediary. It comes from the Mid Triassic.

[ScienceFoundation]

@fairlanejay You're mistaking 'may not have reached its full adult size' with 'it was going to grow substantially.

Pterosaur hatchlings would've been larger than sparrows, let alone 'much older than a hatchling'

'The fossil's discoverers think it provides evidence that the beasts produced clutches of young and provided no parental care'

That was a different find and a different article, again if you pay attention the hatchlings are much larger than the in the first article mentioned.