A Summary of Current Research on the Functional Morphology of Flight in Azhdarchid Pterosaurs

In 1840, John Phillips invented the term Mesozoic, which means “Middle Animal”. The Mesozoic Era was a geological time period that lasted 180 million years and is composed of three smaller time periods, Triassic, Jurassic and the Cretaceous. The cretaceous period lasted 81 million years, which during that time there was a continual rule of dinosaurs and other reptiles, the start of flowering plants and other giant organisms. Most of the giants perished in the most famous mass extinction that occurred 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period. One particular group of giant creatures has stirred some debate recently, the Azhdarchid pterosaurs. The debate is whether they were terrestrial stalkers in terms of catching food and also if they were capable of true flight or just simple gliding. AB S T R A CT