Demystified: Esona silwanyana sibhabhayo sikhulu eMhlabeni - Quetzalcatlus.

Xa sithetha ngesona silwanyana sikhulu sakha sabakho ehlabathini, wonke umntu uyazi ukuba ngumnenga oluhlaza, kodwa kuthekani ngesona silwanyana sikhulu sibhabhayo? Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wesidalwa esinomtsalane nesoyikeka ngakumbi sizulazula kulo mgxobhozo malunga nezigidi ezingama-70 zeminyaka eyadlulayo, iPterosauria ebude buziimitha ezi-4 eyaziwa ngokuba yiQuetzalcatlus, yosapho lwakwa-Azhdarchidae. Amaphiko ayo anokufikelela kwiimitha ezili-12 ubude, kwaye inomlomo oziimitha ezintathu ubude. Inobunzima besiqingatha seetoni. Ewe, iQuetzalcatlus sesona silwanyana sibhabhayo sikhulu esaziwayo emhlabeni.

Igama lodidi lweQuetzalcatlusivela kuQuetzalcoatl, uThixo Wenyoka Eneentsiba kwimpucuko yama-Aztec.

I-Quetzalcatlus yayibubukho obunamandla kakhulu ngelo xesha. Ngokusisiseko, uTyrannosaurus Rex oselula akazange axhathise konke konke xa edibana neQuetzalcatlus. Banemetabolism ekhawulezayo kwaye bafuna ukutya rhoqo. Ngenxa yokuba umzimba wayo ulungelelene, udinga iprotheyini eninzi ukuze ibe namandla. I-Tyrannosaurus rex encinci enobunzima obungaphantsi kwama-300 eeponti inokuthatyathwa njengesidlo ngayo. Le Pterosauria nayo yayinamaphiko amakhulu, awayeyenza ilungele ukubhabha umgama omde.

Ifosili yokuqala yeQuetzalcatlus yafunyanwa kwiBig Bend National Park eTexas ngo-1971 nguDouglas A. Lawson. Lo mzekelo wawuquka iphiko elingaphelelanga (elibandakanya umnwe wesine owandisiweyo), apho amaphiko aphiko acingelwa ukuba angaphezulu kweemitha ezili-10. I-Pterosauria yaba zizilwanyana zokuqala ukuvela amandla okubhabha emva kwezinambuzane. I-Quetzalcatlus yayine-sternum enkulu, kulapho izihlunu zokubhabha zazincanyathiselwe, zikhulu kakhulu kunezihlunu zeentaka namalulwane. Ngoko ke akukho mathandabuzo ukuba "aviator" abalungileyo kakhulu.

Umda ophezulu wamaphiko we-Quetzalcatlus usaxoxwa, kwaye uye wabangela ingxoxo malunga nomda ophezulu wesakhiwo sokubhabha kwezilwanyana.

Kukho iimbono ezininzi ezahlukeneyo malunga nendlela yokuphila ye-Quetzalcatlus. Ngenxa yomqolo wayo omde womlomo wesibeleko kunye nemihlathi emide engenamazinyo, inokuba izingela intlanzi ngendlela efana ne-heron, i-carrion efana nengwamza, okanye i-scissor-billed gull yanamhlanje.

I-Quetzalcatlus kucingelwa ukuba imka phantsi kwamandla ayo, kodwa xa sele isezulwini inokuchitha ixesha elininzi ibhabha.

I-Quetzalcatlus yayihlala kwixesha elidlulileyo leCretaceous, malunga ne-70 yezigidi zeminyaka eyadlulayo ukuya kwi-65.5 yezigidi zeminyaka eyadlulayo. Baye baphela kunye needinosaurs kumcimbi wokuphela kweCretaceous-Tertiary.

IWebhusayithi esemthethweni ye-Kawah Dinosaur:www.kawadinosaur.com