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, iTyrannosaurus Rex encinci yayingenangxaki kwaphela xa idibana 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 inokubonwa 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