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| A Quick Question; Flight | |
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| Topic Started: May 19 2011, 10:25 AM (467 Views) | |
| macgobhain | May 19 2011, 10:25 AM Post #1 |
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Adult
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Well I posted about this on my thread titled "Calma" but since only a few ppl seem to still be interested in that thread and seem to take awhile posting sometimes, I'll just ask it hear so we can get this overwith :). So, like I said I'm thinking I don't want to just copy pterosaur flight for my bird-replacement. So I found two drawings, and I was wondering what you guys think about the alternative methods of flight represented in them: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&global=1&q=alternabats#/d31bbg7 http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&global=1&q=flutkins#/d30yi59 Now for me, and maybe my imagination is too much, I can see the second gliding membrane in the "flutkins" being derived from a flying rib or some odd variation in one of the vertebrae. Furthermore has the arms and membranes evolve into actual wings, I can see the two membranes merging with one another to form sort of butterfly like wings similar to Alternabat I in the first drawing. This way the animal could retain it's hindlegs, and unlike that little Alternabat, would not be stuck to hunting in the air because of awkard evolution. So my question is, does this work aerodynamically? Would these wings be capable of gliding? Because I know that gliding is one of the saving graces in large flying vertebrates, so that they aren't constantly having to beat away at the air like an insect. |
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| Zorcuspine | May 19 2011, 05:32 PM Post #2 |
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Enjoying our azure blue world
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I like the flutkins a lot better than the alterbats. |
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| Empyreon | May 23 2011, 03:25 PM Post #3 |
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Are you plausible?
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All the shapes seem to be able to work aerodynamically, but that doesn't mean they'd all plausibly come about. The flutkin shape generally seems fine, but I'm not sure if the physiology would be exactly the same; why have "extended" wings with curved/bent limbs supporting them. The alternibats are certainly interesting, and some of them may actually be quite plausible, but thomastapir himself points out that bats can modify their wing geometry: a trait which I think will promote the more versatile and dynamic geometry they already have in favor of what's shown here. |
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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