The origin and evolution of air sacs in pterosaurs and their forerunners
Aureliano, Tito (Universidade Regional do Cariri. Departamento de Química Biológica)
Müller, Rodrigo (Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Centro de Apoio à Pesquisa Paleontológica da Quarta Colônia)
Holgado, Borja (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
Kerber, Leonardo (Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Centro de Apoio à Pesquisa Paleontológica da Quarta Colônia)
Ghilardi, Aline M. (Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte)

Data:	2025
Resum:	Although the existence of postcranial pneumaticity and the inferred presence of air sacs connected to the lungs are well established in Pterosauria, the origin of this system in pterosaurs remains unclear. We investigated skeletal pneumaticity in the Triassic pterosauromorph Venetoraptor using microcomputed tomography, seeking insights into the origin of postcranial pneumaticity. Our analysis reveals distinct patterns of postcranial pneumaticity, providing insights into the evolution of the respiratory adaptations of pterosauromorpha. Venetoraptor exhibits a mosaic of pneumatic foramina and internal chambers in its vertebrae, suggesting the early evolution of an elaborate system of air sacs connected to the lungs, which suggests the presence of an elaborate respiratory system. These findings support the hypothesis that invasive air sacs predated true pterosaurs, providing advantages such as enhanced ventilatory efficiency, reduced skeletal mass, and increased mechanical strength, all crucial for powered flight. Our study underscores the significance of early pneumatic structures in shaping vertebrate flight evolution, positioning pterosauromorphs as one of the key intermediary lineages in the development of avian-style respiratory systems.
Drets:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Anatomy ; Evolution ; Paleontology ; Respiratory system ; Zoology
Publicat a:	Journal of Anatomy, (August 2025) , ISSN 1469-7580

DOI: 10.1111/joa.70030

13 p, 4.8 MB

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