April Saturday Club looks at ‘Flying Reptiles’

“Flying Reptiles” will be studied during the April edition of the Tate Geological Museum’s Saturday Club on April 5, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

According to Russell Hawley, attendees will look at the teeth and jaws of pterosaurs for clues to what they ate and measure the proportions of their wings to figure out how their lifestyles compare to those of modern birds. “Were there pterosaur versions of eagles, seagulls, and storks?” asked Hawley, Tate Geological Museum education specialist.

“Birds may rule the skies today, but during the age of dinosaurs, the dominant flying vertebrates were the pterosaurs, the winged reptiles,” said Hawley. “The pterosaurs ranged in size from the diminutive Anurognathus, only the size of a kestrel, up to the gigantic Quetzalcoatlus, which had a wingspan equal to that of a private plane,” Hawley noted.

Participants will leave with their own pteranomobile consisting of a flock of model pterosaurs to hang from the ceiling of any room.

Saturday Club is free and open to children ages 7-14. The Tate Geological Museum is located on the southern end of the Casper College campus; look for the life-size T.rex bronze near the Tate or call the museum at 307-268-2447.

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