Massive dinosaurs with ridiculously long necks were able to take to the sky and carry large prey while flying due to spoked vertebrae, according to a new study.
Pterosaurs, gigantic flying reptiles with impressive wingspans of up to 39ft, lived between 225 million years ago and 66 million years ago and had a massive neck.
They stood more than 18ft tall, which is higher than a modern day giraffe, with a neck that stretched to more than 7ft long and a head more than 5ft long.
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth used CT scans to examine the fossils and found the vertebrae in the neck were arranged like spokes of a bicycle wheel.
Protofeathers
Ubirajaraâs hair-like structures appear to be a rudimentary form of feathers called protofeathers. This was not actual hair, an exclusively mammalian feature. Many dinosaurs had feathers. In fact, birds evolved from small feathered dinosaurs about 150 million years ago.
âLikely from a distance it looked hairy rather than feathery,â Prof Martill said. âLikely it had hair-like protofeathers over much of its body but they are only preserved along its neck, back and arms. The ones on its back are very long and give it a sort of mane that is unique for dinosaurs.â
Ubirajaraâs ribbon-like structures may have been used for display, possibly to attract mates or intimidate adversaries or in intermale rivalry, he added. Such displays often are made by male animals â think of a peacockâs elaborate tail feathers â leading Prof Martill to make an âeducated guessâ that this Ubirajara individual was male.