Air sac origins in pterosaurs?
Quoting Aureliano et al (4 co-authors) 2025::
“We investigated skeletal pneumaticity in the Triassic pterosauromorph Venetoraptor using microcomputed tomography, seeking insights into the origin of postcranial pneumaticity.”
See figure 1.
Figure 1. Venetoraptor compared to the protorosaur, Ixalerepton, and two fenestrasaurs, Cosesaurus and Bergamodactylus to scale.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/venetoraptor_skeleton_hand588.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/venetoraptor_skeleton_hand588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-81025″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/venetoraptor_skeleton_hand588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Venetoraptor compared to the protorosaur, Ixalerepton, and two fenestrasaurs, Cosesaurus and Bergamodactylus to scale.” width=”584″ height=”541″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/venetoraptor_skeleton_hand588.jpg?w=584&h=541 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/venetoraptor_skeleton_hand588.jpg?w=150&h=139 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/venetoraptor_skeleton_hand588.jpg?w=300&h=278 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/venetoraptor_skeleton_hand588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Venetoraptor compared to the protorosaur, Ixalerepton, and two fenestrasaurs, Cosesaurus and Bergamodactylus to scale. Those deep chevrons mean NO attenuated tail, key factor in the origin of pteros.
Unfortunately
Venetoraptor is a bipedal protorosaur. Did anyone notice that Venetoraptor was ~ 70 cm in length? (Fig 1).
A bit big. This is going to be so embarrassing for the authors.
Figure 2. Bergamodactylus, the basal-most pterosaur compared to scale with Cosesaurus and Dromomeron.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bergamodactylus-dromomeron588.jpg?w=174″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bergamodactylus-dromomeron588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-85059″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bergamodactylus-dromomeron588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Bergamodactylus, the basal-most pterosaur compared to scale with Cosesaurus and Dromomeron.” width=”584″ height=”1005″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bergamodactylus-dromomeron588.jpg?w=584&h=1005 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bergamodactylus-dromomeron588.jpg?w=87&h=150 87w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bergamodactylus-dromomeron588.jpg?w=174&h=300 174w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bergamodactylus-dromomeron588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Bergamodactylus, the basal-most pterosaur compared to scale with Cosesaurus and Dromomeron.
Real pterosaur ancestors transition with Cosesaurus.
Has the right toes, tail, vertebrae, sacrum, pelvis, prepubis, pectoral complex = includes clavicles and interclavicle, and then let’s talk about that pre-pterosaur skull with the right teeth (Fig 3). Details here: http://reptileevolution.com/cosesaurus.htm
All the vertebrae in Cosesaurus are smashed in the fossil mold. So are the limbs. That indicates pneumaticity, too.
The authors skipped
the little Triassic pterosaurs and went straight to big Early Cretaceous Caiuajara for comparisons.
Not good.
References
Aureliano T et al (4 co-authors) 2025. The origin and evolution of air sacs in pterosaurs and their forerunners. Journal of Anatomy https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.70030
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/08/09/air-sac-origins-in-pterosaurs/
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