Editing Synapsida (section)

====Patagia====
Aerial locomotion first began in non-mammalian [[haramiyida]]n cynodonts, with ''[[Arboroharamiya]]'', ''[[Xianshou]]'', ''[[Maiopatagium]]'' and ''[[Vilevolodon]]'' bearing exquisitely preserved, fur-covered wing membranes that stretch across the limbs and tail. Their fingers are elongated, similar to those of bats and [[colugo]]s and likely sharing similar roles both as wing supports and to hang on tree branches.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Luo | first1 = Zhe-Xi | last2 = Meng | first2 = Qing-Jin | last3 = Grossnickle | first3 = David M. | last4 = Di | first4 = Liu | last5 = Neander | first5 = April I. | last6 = Zhang | first6 = Yu-Guang | last7 = Ji | first7 = Qiang | year = 2017 | title = New evidence for mammaliaform ear evolution and feeding adaptation in a Jurassic ecosystem | journal = Nature | volume = 548| issue = 7667| pages = 326–329| doi = 10.1038/nature23483 | pmid = 28792934 | bibcode = 2017Natur.548..326L | s2cid = 4463476 }}</ref>

Within true mammals, aerial locomotion first occurs in [[volaticotheria]]n [[eutriconodont]]s. A fossil ''[[Volaticotherium]]'' has an exquisitely preserved furry [[patagium]] with delicate wrinkles and that is very extensive, "sandwiching" the poorly preserved hands and feet and extending to the base of the tail.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Meng | first1 = J. | last2 = Hu | first2 = Y.-M. | last3 = Wang | first3 = Y.-Q. | last4 = Wang | first4 = X.-L. | last5 = Li | first5 = C.-K. | year = 2007 | title = Corrigendum: A Mesozoic gliding mammal from northeastern China | journal = Nature | volume = 446 | issue = 7131| page = 102 | doi = 10.1038/nature05639 | bibcode = 2007Natur.446Q.102M | doi-access = free }}</ref> ''[[Argentoconodon]]'', a close relative, shares a similar femur adapted for flight stresses, indicating a similar lifestyle.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Gaetano | first1 = L.C. | last2 = Rougier | first2 = G.W. | year = 2011 | title = New materials of Argentoconodon fariasorum (Mammaliaformes, Triconodontidae) from the Jurassic of Argentina and its bearing on triconodont phylogeny | journal = Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology | volume = 31 | issue = 4| pages = 829–843 | doi = 10.1080/02724634.2011.589877 | bibcode = 2011JVPal..31..829G | s2cid = 85069761 | hdl = 11336/68497 | hdl-access = free }}</ref>

[[Theria]]n mammals would only achieve powered flight and gliding long after these early aeronauts became extinct, with the earliest-known gliding [[metatheria]]ns and [[bat]]s evolving in the [[Paleocene]].<ref>{{cite conference |last1=Szalay, FS |last2=Sargis, EJ |last3=Stafford, BJ |year=2000 |title=Small marsupial glider from the Paleocene of Itaboraí, Brazil |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=20 |series=Supplement 73A |conference=Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology}}</ref>