Buzz
The American Museum of Natural History has unveiled its newest exhibit, *Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs*, which officially opens today. During the media preview, we had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Michael Habib, a renowned expert on pterosaur flight, to gain insights into how these ancient reptiles took to the skies.
When scientists like yourself aim to understand pterosaur flight, do you begin with fossil evidence, or do you use modern-day animals with known flight mechanics as a reference and work backward?
We employ a combination of both approaches. Typically, the process starts with fossil analysis. From there, we apply fundamental principles of physics—universal truths governed by physical laws—to build theoretical models. These models are then tested against living creatures, such as birds and bats, to ensure their accuracy. If the models reliably predict flight mechanics in these animals, we can be reasonably confident in their applicability to pterosaurs.
The challenge lies in ensuring that all predictions are anatomically based and make specific anatomical predictions. For instance, if a hypothesis holds true, the anatomy should reflect a particular structure; if false, it should not. Testing involves comparing these predictions against the actual anatomy of the animals in question. To make this manageable, scientists focus on tractable questions and methods. For example, determining the exact speed of a Quetzalcoatlus is intractable, but comparing its speed to that of a large modern bird is more feasible. Relative questions are often more approachable than absolute ones.
While the question isn't entirely intractable, providing an exact answer is challenging due to uncertainties about the wing shape of Quetzalcoatlus. Speed can vary based on factors like fat loss during long flights—starting as a heavier bird and arriving lighter. Thus, a range is more realistic than a fixed number. However, I can confidently discuss how pterosaurs flew relative to fundamental physical models and living animals.
Pterosaurs varied greatly in size. How would the flight of the tiny 10-inch Nemicolopterus cryptus compare to a giant like Quetzalcoatlus?
Smaller pterosaurs, like Nemicolopterus cryptus, were likely more maneuverable. They flew at slower speeds relative to their mass but excelled in agility. Their takeoffs and landings required less energy. Additionally, their wing characteristics suggest highly maneuverable flight, albeit less efficient. In contrast, Quetzalcoatlus, being much larger, would fly faster overall. It likely relied on gliding with intermittent flapping, soaring on rising air currents for extended periods. This giant probably hunted on the ground and used flight to travel between feeding sites or evade predators.
Would takeoff and landing techniques differ based on the size of the pterosaur?
We have solid insights, particularly into takeoff, which is my area of expertise. Interestingly, all flying creatures—even unpowered gliders like flying squirrels or gliding snakes—initiate launch ballistically. This means they don’t use their wings to lift off initially; instead, they jump into the air and then engage their wings. To the naked eye, it might appear as though a pigeon is pulling itself up with its wings, but in reality, it’s pushing off with its feet and then using its wings to gain altitude. While this might seem like a minor detail, it represents a fundamental difference in the physics of flight.
Some animals, especially those on water, run before jumping, while others simply leap. For pterosaurs, evidence suggests they also leaped. Since they walked on both their feet and hands, it’s likely they used all four limbs for takeoff—a method known as quadripedic launch. While I haven’t analyzed every known pterosaur, the ones I’ve studied support this theory, indicating that both small and large pterosaurs likely employed this technique.
That said, smaller pterosaurs had more margin for error compared to their larger counterparts. They didn’t need as much force to launch and could potentially take off bipedally, though there’s no evidence to suggest they did. A small pterosaur could achieve a higher, more vertical launch with less effort, allowing for greater flexibility in takeoff.
Larger pterosaurs, on the other hand, had to launch at a shallower angle, requiring open space in front of them for takeoff. This limitation influenced their habitat choices. Additionally, they needed to allocate significant muscle power for launch, which aligns with anatomical predictions. Big pterosaurs exhibit exaggerated features related to takeoff, reflecting the greater demands of this phase compared to smaller species.
What software tools do you use to model pterosaur flight?
Personally, I rely heavily on Matlab for my work. It’s a powerful and versatile tool, even though the equations it processes are often surprisingly straightforward. The most effective solutions are usually the simplest ones. Honestly, I spend a significant amount of time brainstorming on a whiteboard.
With another Jurassic Park movie on the horizon, what aspect of pterosaur behavior would you want the director to accurately portray if they feature them?
Takeoff is my personal focus, so I’d hope they nail that. It would be quite disappointing if they didn’t, especially since other TV shows have managed to depict it correctly. If Jurassic Park 4 fails in this regard, it would be a letdown.
