Flying monsters [antikvár]

FLYING MONSTERS-FIRST BIRDS?During the age of the dinosaurs, the skies were ruled by the pterosaurs or 'winged reptiles'. Some were the size of pigeons, but others were monster gliders.?J Ancestor: the animal or plant species from which a group arosetJEvoive: develop over a long timeWere pterosaurs ancestors of lizards, birds or bats? Fossil evidence shows that pterosaurs appeared at the beginning of the dinosaur age. Scientists think that they are close relatives of the land-living dinosaurs because they had a backbone and upright legs. Pterosaurs may have evolved from the flying reptiles of earlier times. These creatures looked like winged lizards. Birds have also been thought of as modern-daypterosaurs. However, birds appeared halfway through.the dinosaur age and are physically similar to the dinosaurs. Like the pterosaurs, birds probably evolved directly from the dinosaurs. Bats appeared after the pterosaurs died out. Yet they have more in common with the prehistoric pterosaurs than birds.Early fliersThe first pterosaurs appeared during the Triassic Period. They had long wings, prominent wrist bones, pointed teeth, sharp beaks and unusual-shaped heads and jaws.