Engineering Science and Materials Commons^™

The Aerodynamic Effects On Flight Patterns And The Evolutionary Changes In Pterosaurs, Johnathan D. Talik

Undergraduate Research & Mentoring Program

Early pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight, and remained small-to-medium sized from the Triassic Period to the end of the Jurassic Period. During that interval, lasting from 210 million years ago to 66 million years ago, pterosaurs underwent a notable changes at the end of the Jurassic Period and through the Cretaceous Period. They were abruptly replaced by much larger forms, characterized by great size and peculiar head ornamentation, among other unique and notable morphological features. While many different explanations theorize why and how the features of the pterosaurs changed over the Cretaceous Period, the aerodynamic influences …