New soft tissue data of pterosaur tail vane reveals sophisticated, dynamic tensioning usage and expands its evolutionary origins
Curation statements for this article:-
Curated by eLife
eLife Assessment
The presented soft tissue data of pterosaur tail vanes represent a valuable contribution to ongoing research efforts to decipher the flight abilities of pterosaurs in the fields of paleontology, comparative biomechanics, and bioinspired design. The new methods are compelling and give new detail on tail morphology that has the potential to resolve how pterosaurs were able to control and maintain tail stiffness to furnish flight control.
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Abstract
Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight. Early pterosaurs had long stiff tails with a mobile base that could shift their center of mass, potentially benefiting flight control. These tails ended in a tall, thin soft tissue vane that would compromise aerodynamic control and efficiency if it fluttered excessively during flight. Maintaining stiffness in the vane would have been crucial in early pterosaur flight, but how this was achieved has been unclear, especially since vanes were lost in later pterosaurs and are absent in birds and bats. Here we use Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence imaging to reveal a cross-linking lattice within the tail vanes of early pterosaurs. The lattice supported a sophisticated dynamic tensioning system used to maintain vane stiffness, allowing the whole tail to augment flight control and the vane to function as a display structure.
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eLife Assessment
The presented soft tissue data of pterosaur tail vanes represent a valuable contribution to ongoing research efforts to decipher the flight abilities of pterosaurs in the fields of paleontology, comparative biomechanics, and bioinspired design. The new methods are compelling and give new detail on tail morphology that has the potential to resolve how pterosaurs were able to control and maintain tail stiffness to furnish flight control.
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Reviewer #1 (Public review):
Summary:
This paper reports fossil soft-tissue structures (tail vanes) of pterosaurs, and attempts to relate this to flight performance and other proposed functions for the tail
Strengths:
The paper presents new evidence for soft-tissue strengthening of vanes using exciting new methods.
Weaknesses:
There seems to be no discussion of bias in the sample selection method - even a simple consideration of whether discarded specimens were likely not to have had the cross-linking lattice, or if it was not visible.
There seems to be no supporting evidence or theory to show how the lattice could have functioned, other than a narrative description. Moreover, there is no comparison to extant organisms where a comparison of function might be drawn.
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Reviewer #2 (Public review):
Summary:
The authors have set out to investigate and explain how early members of the Pterosauria were able to maintain stiffness in the vane of their tails. This stiffness, it is said, was crucial for flight in early members of this clade. Through the use Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence imaging, the authors have revealed that certain pterosaurs had a sophisticated dynamic tensioning system that has previously been unappreciated.
Strengths:
The choice of method of investigation for the key question is sound enough, and the execution of the same is excellent. Overall the paper is well written and well presented, and provides a very succinct, accessible and clear conclusion.
Weaknesses:
None
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