this post was submitted on 07 Mar 2024
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Hatzegopteryx (mander.xyz)
submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 29 points 7 months ago (4 children)

There's a little of both in play here.

First, the whole black and white part of the illustration is a neck flap that may or may not have existed. It makes the neck look super thick, but it was just the artist's interpretation.

Second, penguins. Pterosaurs have big, hollow heads and skeletons that look like they should have flown. The same can be said of penguins.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago

Look just because we haven't found any air fossils yet

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

I recall reading something about a similar Dino that didn't so much fly and ran and glided instead. I wonder if it's similar to what this big boy did.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

But penguins are flightless birds? I could imagine the big guy being a flightless bird with vestigial wings, like ostriches.

The strong head, small body with all four extremities being used to stand seems more evolved for walking to me (I know next to nothing about fossil reconstruction though)

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

But penguins are flightless bird?

That's his point.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

Well hollow bones in birds aren't for flying but for breathing purposes so your second point isn't exactly right.