In Depth
Though only known from a few fragmentary fossils, Allkaruen has already proven itself to be a very interesting pterosaur genus. Allkaruen is regarded as being intermediate in form between the more primitive rhamphorhynchid pterosaurs, and the more advanced pterodactyloid pterosaurs. Allkaruen also shows us that only certain parts of the body would change while others remained the same. Other earlier named genera such as Darwinopterus also demonstrated this piecemeal form of evolution, and Allkaruen now shows us that pterosaurs were probably evolving in this way ever since they first appeared on the planet.
Further Reading
- A Jurassic pterosaur from Patagonia and the origin of the pterodactyloid neurocranium. - PeerJ. 4. - L. Codorni�, A. P. Carabajal, D. Pol, D. Unwin & O. W. M. Rauhut - 2016.