The fossils of the world's first gliding reptile with a fine-toothed comb were run through by researchers and they discovered it was a change in tree canopy that likely allowed such flight.
Since the discovery of the first fossils of the animal in 1907, there has been a lot of discussion about how the animal lived during the Late Permian Period.
New research shows how the first-known reptile to glide became the first-known reptile by reconstructing its skeleton.
According to experts from the French National Museum of Natural History in Paris and the Staatliches Museum fr Naturkunde, the answer lies in the canopy of the forest where this creature lived.
"Pennsylvanian forests, while taxonomically and vertically heterogeneous, had rather," states the lead author of the journal. There is evidence of denser communities in Cisularian forests. No gliders have been reported prior to weigeltisaurids because of the change in forest structure.
The dragons needed to get from place to place, not from mythical fire. As it turned out, gliding was the most efficient mode of transportation, and here in this new study, we see how their morphology enabled this.
Three fossils of C. elivensis were examined by the team. The body, including the torso, limbs, and the patagium, was the focus of their research. The membranous flap spans the forelimbs and hind limbs in living animals.
The reptile's patagium was thought to be supported by bones that extended from the ribs, as they are in modern Draco species of Southeast Asia, but this is not the case anymore.
This new examination shows that the patagium may have extended from the gastralia or from the musculature of the trunk. The gliding apparatus sits lower on the abdomen than it does in gliding lizards.
Combining this finding with others derived from the bone structure observed in the fossils, the researchers came up with a more refined vision of how the creature moved.
The idea of moving vertically up tree trunks is supported by sharp, curved claws and compressed body form. It was an expert climber because of the length of the forelimbs and hindlimbs that helped it stay close to the tree. The long, lean body and whiplike tail of this reptile support the interpretation.
Do you think it's similar to Draco?
"C. elivensis bears a striking resemblance to the contemporary genera Draco," says Valentin. It's likely that its habits were the same as those of its modern counterpart.
Coelurosauravus was able to grasp its patagium with its front claws, stabilizing it during flight, and even adjusting it. An additional joint in one finger might have made a difference. The lower positioning of the patagium may have been compensated for by this.
More information: The postcranial skeleton of the gliding reptile Coelurosauravus elivensis Piveteau, 1926 (Diapsida, Weigeltisauridae) from the late Permian of Madagascar, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2022). DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2022.2108713 Journal information: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
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