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DinosaurianDude — Shell cracker
#pterosaur #cretaceous #dsungaripterus #mesozoic #pterodactyloid #cretaceousperiod #dsungaripteridae #dsungaripterid
Published: 2015-03-27 23:14:57 +0000 UTC; Views: 794; Favourites: 25; Downloads: 0
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Description
Dsungaripterus was a pterosur with a pointy beak, well suited for picking out shelled invertebrates from between rocks. In the back half of it's mouth however it had broad flat teeth very suited for crushing those hard shells. Here I used te Eurasian oystercatcher for design, as these birds nowadays occupy a similar ecological niche.For more info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dsungari…
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Comments: 5
Recent isotope analysis seem to suggest that it lived inland, not near coasts. It was crushing something else with its teeth.
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Interesting! However oystercatchers also often live inland, feeding moe on worms and invertebrates from freshwater wetlands.
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Yes, but they don't crush shells while inland.
From the fact it lived in a forested environment, I can see it being a scavenger specifically adapted to get through thick cover (why long legs might be needed). It would soar to search for carcasses, land in the nearest clearing, walk/run to the carcass, use the rear teeth to crack bone and the tip to pick of the marrow.
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This would seem like a highly specific diet for such a large flying animal, quite akin to the bearded vuture (Gypaetus barbatus). Aren't fruits, seeds and nuts also be available in a forested area? these too would require crushing or cracking to get to the nourishment inside. Also a pointy beak is perfect for picking things up from from difficult to reach places, as I imagine a pterosaur's body isn't as flexible at bending over as a bird's body is.
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I got the idea from some vultures that have long legs for a more terrestrial approach. A flightless animal would be incapable of being a scavenger, but a flying animal that could rely exclusively on soaring can be a scavenger.
The pointy beak could be for picking out bone marrow after the rear teeth crushed/cut the bone.
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