ZOO 2090 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Thecodontia, Cervical Vertebrae, Pteranodon

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Zoology
• Course: ZOO 2090
• Professor: Jinzhong Fu

Document Summary

Day 13: sauropsids cont. thecodonts = tooth buried in bone thecodonts gave rise to later archosaurs. More efficient body support and locomotion trend towards the bipedal locomotion likely evolved multiple times. Archosaurs: pterosaurs (includes pterodactyls!) first vertebrate group to evolve powered flight (late triassic, birds and bats evolved alter) using membranous wings, supported by an elongated forelimb. Early forms had long tails and teeth later forms lost the tail and teeth, and possessed a projecting crest at the back of the head (i. e. pteranodon) Main groups: sauropodomorphs were mostly herbivorous (apatosaurus, diplodocus) theropods were mostly carnivorous, bipedal forms from which birds likely evolved (tyrannosaurus, velociraptor) skeletal adaptation of giant dinosaurs shortened pillar-like limbs (weight support) reduction/shortening of wrist/fingers and ankle/toes. Elongated necks (more, longer, and lighter cervical vertebrae) Exclusively herbivorous dinosaurs were more common in the jurassic. Main groups: thyreophorans: including ankylosaurus and stegosaurus. Ornithopods: including duck-billed dinosaurs (were able to chew!)