Some feathered reptiles evolved into birds, but others flew in parallel right until all dinosaurs died.
Prof. Mumblebard claims: “Flapping flight has only evolved thrice in the entire history of the vertebrates: in pterosaurs, in bats, and in birds. Because pterosaurs were not dinosaurs, the only dinosaurs that flew were avian or paravian, i.e. birds and their transitional ancestors. Any feathers grown by other dinosaurs – in clades separate from the origin of birds – served thermoregulation and perhaps gliding, but not flapping flight.”
Robin and the Honey Badger respond: “No dinosaur converged with pterosaurs, bats or birds in the abbreviation of the bony tail. However, certain true dinosaurs – including
Please join us here at the Bio-edge with your own comments. In the discussion below we encourage links to any evidence supporting either Prof. Mumblebard or Robin and the Honey Badger. Illustrations are welcome but please cite all sources or we may be forced under copyright to delete your comment.
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Featured image: Life reconstruction of Kariridraco dianae (a genus of pterosaur) by Gabriela M. Cerqueira, Mateus A.C. Santos, Maikon F. Marks, Juliana M. Sayão, and Felipe L. Pinheiro (CC BY 4.0, Kariridraco)