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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Dinos Evolved Wings to Lure Opposite Sex

Feathered displays may have been about finding mates, not climbing trees

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(Newser) – Among paleontologists, one of the big battles has long been over why dinosaurs originally evolved wings: Did they start gliding down from trees, or need extra propulsion when running? According to a new study, the first wings were all about impressing the ladies—it was sexual selection that let bigger-winged dinos have more hatchlings, the Telegraph reports.

"If an animal started running with its limbs held out to the side, then there would be cost that would have left them competitively at a disadvantage. There must have been another factor involved to allow this trait to continue through the generations," says a biologist. They could just have wanted to "show off how pretty their feathers were."

A visitor looks at a
A visitor looks at a "Quetzalcoatlus northropi" at an exhibition at The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo, Saturday, June 28, 2008.   (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)
Visitors view a fossil specimen of a pterosaur at the Geological Museum of China. It and its kin may have wings due to sexual selection, scientists say.
Visitors view a fossil specimen of a pterosaur at the Geological Museum of China. It and its kin may have wings due to sexual selection, scientists say.   (Getty Images)
Archaeopteryx, the feathered dinosaur, could have evolved its wings in order to impress Mrs. Archaeopteryx.
Archaeopteryx, the feathered dinosaur, could have evolved its wings in order to impress Mrs. Archaeopteryx.   (©Orin Optiglot)
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3 comments
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Derni
Apr 5, 09 1:26 PM CDT
Goping on the premise that we develop biologically for survival and moving our genes into the future-this sounds probable Reply
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NutsInNY
Apr 5, 09 1:34 PM CDT
Wings are hot. Reply
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SPH
Apr 6, 09 2:03 AM CDT
Or, perhaps, the ability to fly just might bestow a survival advantage...Just a guess....And, of course, the females are impressed.... Reply
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