eli5: Why are pterosaurs not considered dinosaurs?
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Splits like that are often a debated topic in taxanomic circles. I believe that pterosaurs are considered to have split off from dinosaurs because of a consistent difference in the hip joint though, so that split is based of a noted physical feature found in one lineage but not the other.
But boundaries when one lineage splits from the other can get really fuzzy at times, esp when we’re talking 250 million years ago.
OF note, (and shameless plug) the crew at PBS EONS postcast “Mysteries of deep time” ep 5 (What was the first dinosaur) talks about some of the challenges with questions like this in specific . They also have a youtube channel filled with tons of natural history too
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzR-rom72PHN9Zg7RML9EbA
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