Abstract
Research on the postcranial skeletal pneumaticity in pterosaurs is common in the literature, but most studies present only qualitative assessments. When quantitative, they are done on isolated bones. Here, we estimate the Air Space Proportion (ASP) obtained from micro-CT scans of the sequence from the sixth cervical to the fourth dorsal vertebra of an anhanguerine pterosaur to understand how pneumaticity is distributed in these bones. Pneumatisation of the vertebrae varied between 68 and 72% of their total volume. The neural arch showed higher ASP in all vertebrae. Anhanguerine vertebral ASP was generally higher than in sauropod vertebrae but lower than in most extant birds. The ASP observed here is lower than that calculated for the appendicular skeleton of other anhanguerian pterosaurs, indicating the potential existence of variation between axial and appendicular pneumatisation. The results point to a pattern in the distribution of the air space, which shows an increase in the area occupied by the trabecular bone in the craniocaudal direction of the vertebral series and, in each vertebra, an increase of the thickness of the trabeculae in the zygapophyses. This indicates that the distribution of pneumatic diverticula in anhanguerine vertebrae may not be associated with stochastic patterns.
Highlights
Research on the postcranial skeletal pneumaticity in pterosaurs is common in the literature, but most studies present only qualitative assessments
Sections of the mid-length of the centra did not reach more than 73% of Air Space Proportion (ASP), with the largest proportions observed in the seventh and ninth cervical vertebrae and in the first dorsal vertebra (Table 1)
The ASP of the mid-length of the centra is higher than the cotyle and condyle in the seventh and ninth cervical vertebrae, and in the first and fourth dorsal vertebrae
Summary
Research on the postcranial skeletal pneumaticity in pterosaurs is common in the literature, but most studies present only qualitative assessments. Of Natural History, New York, USA), but they did not calculate the ASP These analyses have contributed to our understanding of pterosaur pneumaticity, but because they are restricted to sampling one vertebra or bone region, they are of limited use to understand how pneumaticity could vary within an individual, species, or at broader phylogenetic levels. The ASP is a reliable and well-established quantitative method that can be used to assess postcranial pneumaticity patterns more accurately and to explore the relationship between them and the evolutionary history or ecology of a group We explore such patterns of pneumaticity through micro-CT scans of the specimen stored at the Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns/Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich, Germany, SNSB/BSPG 1991 I 27. It was described by Veldmeijer et al.[29], who tentatively identified it as Brasileodactylus sp., but due to the lack of genus-level diagnostic features, here we restrict its identification to the Anhanguerinae.[29,30,31,32,33] (Fig. 1)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
