I-Demystified: Isilwane esindizayo esikhulu kunazo zonke ezake zaba khona eMhlabeni - i-Quetzalcatlus.

Uma sikhuluma ngesilwane esikhulu kunazo zonke ezake zaba khona emhlabeni, wonke umuntu uyazi ukuthi i-blue whale, kodwa kuthiwani ngesilwane esikhulu kunazo zonke endizayo? Cabanga ngesidalwa esihlaba umxhwele kakhulu futhi esesabekayo sizulazula exhaphozini eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-70 edlule, i-Pterosauria engamamitha angu-4 ubude eyaziwa ngokuthi i-Quetzalcatlus, eyingxenye yoMndeni wakwa-Azhdarchidae. Amaphiko ayo angafinyelela ubude obungamamitha angu-12, futhi inomlomo ongamamitha amathathu ubude. Inesisindo esiwuhhafu wethani. Yebo, iQuetzalcatlus iyisilwane esindizayo esikhulu kunazo zonke esaziwa emhlabeni.

Igama lohlobo lweQuetzalcatlusivela kuQuetzalcoatl, uNkulunkulu Wenyoka Enezimpiko empucukweni yama-Aztec.

I-Quetzalcatlus yayiwukuphila okunamandla kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi. Ngokuyisisekelo, iTyrannosaurus Rex esencane ayizange ikwazi ukumelana nakancane lapho ihlangana neQuetzalcatlus. Bane-metabolism esheshayo futhi badinga ukudla njalo. Ngenxa yokuthi umzimba wayo ulula, udinga amaprotheni amaningi ukuze uthole amandla. I-Tyrannosaurus rex encane enesisindo esingaphansi kwamaphawundi angu-300 ingathathwa njengokudla ngayo. Le Pterosauria futhi yayinamaphiko amakhulu, ayeyenza ilungele ukutshuza amabanga amade.

Izinsalela zokuqala zeQuetzalcatlus zatholwa eBig Bend National Park eTexas ngo-1971 nguDouglas A. Lawson. Lesi sibonelo sasihlanganisa iphiko eliyingxenye (elihlanganisa ingaphambili elinomunwe wesine onwetshiwe), okucatshangwa ukuthi ububanzi bamaphiko budlula amamitha ayi-10. I-Pterosauria yayiyizilwane zokuqala ezishintsha amandla okundiza ngemva kwezinambuzane. I-Quetzalcatlus yayine-sternum enkulu, okuyilapho imisipha yokundiza yayixhunywe khona, inkulu kakhulu kunemisipha yezinyoni namalulwane. Ngakho-ke akungabazeki ukuthi "ama-aviators" amahle kakhulu.

Umkhawulo omkhulu wamaphiko we-Quetzalcatlus kusaphikiswana ngawo, futhi udale inkulumompikiswano ngomkhawulo omkhulu wesakhiwo sokundiza kwezilwane.

Kunemibono eminingi eyahlukene ngendlela yokuphila ye-Quetzalcatlus. Ngenxa yomgogodla wayo omude womlomo wesibeletho kanye nemihlathi emide engenamazinyo, kungenzeka ukuthi ibizingela izinhlanzi ngendlela efana ne-heron, inyamazane efile njengonogolantethe, noma i-scissor-billed gull yesimanje.

I-Quetzalcatlus kucatshangwa ukuthi indiza ngaphansi kwamandla ayo, kodwa uma isemoyeni ingase ichithe isikhathi esiningi intweza.

U-Quetzalcatlus wayephila esikhathini se-Cretaceous sekwephuzile, cishe eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-70 edlule kuya eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-65.5 edlule. Bashabalale kanye nama-dinosaurs emcimbini wokuqothulwa kwe-Cretaceous-Tertiary.

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