Paleobiology, Morphology, and Flight Characteristics of Pterodactyloid Pterosaurs

Ross Alexander Elgin

Gutacher: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Stinnesbeck Prof. Dr. Eberhard Frey

http://d-nb.info/1066845972 Table of Contents

Chapter 1 • 1.0 Introduction 1-2 1.1 Aims and Goals 2 1.2 Collections of the State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe 4 1.3 Note on the status of privately purchased fossils included in this 4 study 1.4 Introduction to the Pterosauria 6 1.5 A short note on pterosaur phylogeny and relationships 9

Chapter 2 2.0 The description of a new specimen of Coloborhynchus robustus 12- (SMNK PALI 133) 13 2.0.1 Introduction 13 2.0.2 Systematic Palaeontology 13 2.0.3 Specimen Details 14 2.0.4 Specimen Description 14 2.0.5 Discussion of the systematic palaeontology 49 2.0.6 Discussion of anatomical features 51 2.1. The description of a novel genus and species Barbosania gracilirostris 64 (MHNS/00/85) 2.1.1 Introduction 64 2.1.2 Systematic Palaeontology 65 2.1.3 Specimen Details 66 2.1.4 Specimen Description 66 2.1.5 Additional Remarks 66 2.2. The description of a new ornithocheirid specimen (SMNK PAL 3854) ... 75 2.2.1 Introduction 75 2.2.2 Systematic Palaeontology 75 2.2.3 Specimen Details 75 2.2.4 Specimen Description 76

Chapter 3 3.0 Further examination of an indeterminate azhdarchoid specimen (SMNK 81- PAL 3830) 82 3.0.1 Introduction 82 3.0.2 Systematic Palaeontology 82 3.0.3 Specimen Details 82 3.0.4 Specimen Remarks 83 3.1 Description of an indeterminate azhdarchoid (SMNK PAL 3900) 87 3.1.1 Introduction 87 3.1.2 Systematic Palaeontology 87 3.1.3 Specimen Details 88 3.1.4 Specimen Description 88 3.1.5 Additional Remarks 92 3.2 Description of an indeterminate azhdarchoid (SMNK PAL 3985) 96 3.2.1 Systematic Palaeontology 96 3.2.2 Specimen Details 96 3.2.3 Specimen Remarks 97 3.3 The description of a new specimen of Tapejara wellnhoferi (SMNK 99 PAL 3986) 3.3.1 Introduction 99 3.3.2 Systematic Palaeontology 99 3.3.3 Specimen Details 100 3.3.4 Specimen Description 100 3.4 Description of an indeterminate azhdarchoid (SMNK PAL 6409) 102 3.4.1 Introduction 102 3.4.2 Systematic Palaeontology 102 3.4.3 Specimen Details 102 3.4.4 Specimen Description 102 3.4.5 Additional Remarks 106 3.5 The description of a novel genus and species Microtuban altivolans 111 (SMNKPAL6595) 3.5.1 Introduction Ill 3.5.2 Systematic Palaeontology Ill 3.5.3 Specimen Details 112 3.5.4 Specimen Description 113 3.6 The description of a new Tupuxuara -like azhdarchoid 116 3.6.1 Introduction 116 3.6.2 Systematic Palaeontology 116 3.6.3 Specimen Details 117 3.6.4 Specimen Description 117 3.6.5 Specimen Comments 122

Chapter 4 4.0 Comments and analysis of pterosaurian joint mobility 134- 135 4.1 Material and Methods 135 4.2 Current limits of joint mobility in pterosaurs 136 4.3 Revised estimates of joint mobility 154 4.4 Position and mobility of the pteroid 158

Chapter 5 5.0 Introduction to the aerodynamics of biological fliers 164- 165 5.0.1 Aerodynamic forces 165 5.0.2 Gliding flight 173 5.0.3 Circling performance 176 5.1 Introduction to pterosaur aerodynamics and methodologies 178 5.2 Methodologies 179 5.2.1 Skeletal Reconstruction 179 5.2.2 Wing Reconstruction 180 5.2.3 Mass Relationships 181 5.2.4 Theoretical Modelling 182 5.2.5 Computer based modelling 183 5.2.6 Calibration and operation of the wind tunnel 183 5.2.7 Set up of the mounting bracket 184 5.2.8 Set up of the velocity control 188 5.2.9 Construction of fixed wing model 190 5.2.10 Construction of body casts 190 5.2.11 Construction of cranial models 191

f 5.3 Wind tunnel experiments 195 5.3.1 Aerodynamics of the pterosaurian body 195 5.3.2 Aerodynamics of cranial models 196 5.3.3 Aerodynamics of fixed wing models 206 5.3.4 Discussion 216 5.3.5 Summary of experimental results 219 5.4 Theoretical simulations 221 5.4.1 Flat plate theoretical performance 221 5.4.2 Performance estimates of TORNADO models 228 5.4.3 Estimates from previous studies 241 5.4.4 CFD simulation of Coloborhynchus robustus 245 5.4.5 Summary of theoretical data 255 5.5 Chapter Summary 258

Concluding Statement 261 References 264 Appendix