The origin of the first gliding reptile

Since the first fossil remains of Coelurosauravus elivensis, the world’s first gliding reptile, were discovered in 1907, there has been an intense debate about how this animal really lived during the Late Permian Period (between 260 million and 252 million years ago). and how the parts of his body fit together.

After more than a century, there are finally enough fossils to create a nearly perfect reconstruction of the skeleton of this unusual dragon-like creature, and scientists have done the work, discovering why evolution led to the appearance of this reptile.

The study has been carried out by the international team of Valentin Buffa, from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.

Buffa and his colleagues have found that it was a change in forest cover that prompted the development of the ability to fly in this animal, although this ability was limited to gliding.

The reptiles from which Coelurosauravus elivensis derives moved from one tree to another as part of their daily lives. The forest cover, or more specifically the tree canopy, that is, the “roof” formed by the tops of the trees, was dense enough to move from one tree to another by walking or taking small jumps. When there was a change in the forest cover that led to a greater spacing between trees, moving from one tree to another became increasingly difficult, and the need to make longer and longer jumps, while maintaining good control of the direction in the air journey, I ended up promoting anatomical adaptations in these animals that helped them to travel between trees by means of a gliding flight. This was the most efficient way to move between trees and was promoted by evolution.

Reconstruction of the approximate appearance that the adult specimens of Coelurosauravus elivensis probably had. The illustration shows one resting on a tree trunk and another gliding. (Image: Charlène Letenneur)

The study is titled “The postcranial skeleton of the gliding reptile Coelurosauravus elivensis Piveteau, 1926 (Diapsida, Weigeltisauridae) from the late Permian Of Madagascar”. And it has been published in the academic journal Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. (Font: NCYT by Amazings)