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The fossil remains of a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Jurassic: Tithonian) of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, central England are identified as a partial left first wing finger phalanx. The elongation of the phalanx and distinctive morphology of the proximal articular region, in particular the square outline of the extensor tendon process, permit the specimen to be assigned to Ctenochasmatoidea. Although fragmentary, it is sufficiently well preserved to determine accurately its dimensions when complete. Morphometric analysis reveals the specimen to represent one of the largest known examples of a Jurassic pterosaur, with an estimated wingspan of at least 3 m, and is one of the first pterodactyloids to be reported from the Jurassic of the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The Gondwanan pterosaur record is scarce when compared with that of Laurasia and is reviewed here. The majority of Gondwanan pterosaur remains are derived from South America; however, the relative richness of the South American record compared with other Gondwanan continents is largely a result of the 'Lagerstätten' effect. Nevertheless, the South American pterosaur assemblage represents the most speciose and diverse known from Gondwana, with several lineages represented, including the Raeticodactylidae, Rhamphorhynchoidea, Darwinoptera, Ctenochasmatidae, Gnathosaurinae, Nyctosauridae, Ornithocheiridae, Tapejaridae, Thalassodromidae, Dsungaripteridae, Chaoyangopteridae and Azhdarchidae. Gondwanan pterosauromorphs are known only from South America. From Africa rhamphorhynchids, archaeopterodactyloids, pteranodontians, nyctosaurids, ornithocheirids, tapejarids, dsungaripteroids, chaoyangopterids, and azhdarchids have been reported. The Arabian Peninsula has produced nyctosaurids, an istiodactyliform, ornithocheirids and azhdarchids. Non-pterodactyloid pterosaurs have been reported from India. A possible azhdarchid has been reported from Madagascar and rhamphorhynchids are known from isolated teeth. The Antarctic pterosaur assemblage also comprises isolated remains of indeterminate pterodactyloids, and a possible indeterminate rhamphorhynchoid. The pterosaur record from East Gondwana comprises ornithocheirids, azhdarchids and a possible ctenochasmatoid from Australia, as well as azhdarchids from New Zealand. Although our understanding of Gondwanan pterosaurs has greatly improved within the last three decades, the discovery and description of more specimens, particularly from Antarctica and East Gondwana, will enhance our understanding of pterosaurian biodiversity and palaeobiogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An isolated jaw fragment from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Cambridge Greensand Member of the West Melbury Marly Chalk Formation previously identified as a cestraciontid shark fin spine is referred to the pterosaur clade Azhdarchoidea on account of its lateral and occlusal foramina and edentuly. The specimen differs from the azhdarchoid Ornithostoma sedgwicki from the same deposit in having flat lateral surfaces and an acute dorsal/ventral apex. The specimen is similar in overall morphology to CAMSM B40085 from the same horizon and probably represents the corresponding jaw but from a different individual. Likely these specimens represent a new taxon but are considered too fragmentary to diagnose at present. A remarkably similar and distinctive morphology is found in unnamed pterosaur jaws from the Kem Kem Group (?Albian-Cenomanian) of Morocco, supporting the idea of faunal similarity between these two distant localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterosaurs are a rare component of the Early Cretaceous (Albian) Gault Formation of southern England. The only named taxon reported, ' Pterodactylus ' daviesii Owen, 1874, is widely regarded as a nomen dubium or as Pterodactyloidea incertae sedis , while most other material can be referred to Pterodactyloidea indet. Here we describe a fragmentary humerus and elongate mid-series cervical vertebra both from the Gault Formation of Kent, southeast England that can be referred to the edentulous pterodactyloid clade Azhdarchoidea. The cervical vertebra is identified as being from a non-tapejaromorph azhdarchoid on account of its reduced neural spine, a neural arch confluent with the centrum, a neural canal that is subsumed into the centrum and the lack of foramina on the lateral surfaces of the centrum. The humerus is referred to Azhdarchoidea on account of its sub-rectangular distal end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant and diverse pterosaur records have been reported from the Jehol Biota since the end of the last century, including an early reported member, Haopterus gracilis , from the Yixian Formation. The referral of Haopterus gracilis has been a subject of debate since its discovery. Various phylogenetic analyses have suggested different positions for Haopterus gracilis , including the sister taxon of the Ornithocheiroidea or placed differently in the Pteranodontoidea. Recent research has proposed that Haopterus gracilis is the sister-taxon of the Lebanese istiodactyliform Mimodactylus libanensis. Here we redescribe the holotype and only specimen of Haopterus gracilis , a relatively complete skeleton of a juvenile individual in detail using Micro-CL scanning. Haopterus possesses several pteranodontoid features including a stout scapula shorter than the coracoid, a sternum with a constriction posterior to the sternocoracoid articulations, and humeri with trapezoidal deltopectoral crests and constricted mid-shafts. A close affinity between Haopterus and istiodactylids has been suggested by several researchers, whereas some features of Haopterus revealed here distinguish Haopterus from istiodactylids, including the low skull with a long rostrum occupying more than half the skull length anterior to the jaw articulation, and a long tooth row with different tooth morphologies. The phylogenetic position of Haopterus was reevaluated by utilizing a more comprehensive character matrix derived from three previous matrices. The new analysis revealed Haopterus in the Pteranodontoidea and, within this clade, it was an istiodactyliform. The study of Haopterus holds potential significance in enhancing our understanding of the morphology and taxonomy of short-toothed pteranodontoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A partial, isolated tooth from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) Stonesfield 'slate' of the Taynton Limestone Formation of Oxfordshire is identified as likely coming from a ctenochasmatid pterosaur. Referral to Ctenochasmatidae is based on its very slender, slightly curved crown with near circular cross-section and subparallel margins, slightly inflated root and its stratigraphic age. The tooth is part of the William Smith fossil collection held at the Natural History Museum, London. The collection was assembled as part of William Smith's attempt to identify and map strata around England and Wales in the last decade of the 18th century and the first 15 years of the 19th century. Smith's extensive fossil collection of more than 2500 specimens was purchased by the British Museum in 1816 (Wigley et al., 2018), and thus the specimen is the first pterosaur to be accessioned to the national collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A re-examination of fossil material from the Late Cretaceous Cambridge Greensand Member (CGM) of the West Melbury Marly Chalk Formation revealed a number of new specimens of edentulous pterosaur jaw fragments previously identified as shark fin spines and fish jaws and accessioned under the epithet 'cestraciontid finray' and 'jaws of fish'. These are now recognised as pterosaurian jaw tips and referred to Ornithostoma sedgwicki Seeley, 1891 and Azhdarchoidea indet. This material increases the diversity of edentulous pterosaurs from the CGM. The edentulous pterosaur Ornithostoma sedgwicki Seeley, 1891 from the Cretaceous Cambridge Greensand of eastern England is reviewed. The holotype specimen is confirmed as a fragment of a premaxilla/maxilla of a non-tapejarid azhdarchoid on account of the conspicuous curvature of the dorsal and occlusal margins posteriorly and the presence of small neural foramina on the lateral margins. Neural foramina are not seen on jaws of members of the Pteranodontia, a group to which O. sedgwicki was included previously. The referral of O. sedgwicki to Azhdarchoidea eliminates the single known Lower Cretaceous occurrence of Pteranodontidae, restricting the temporal range of this taxon to the Upper Cretaceous. Postcranial material referred to O. sedgwicki from the type horizon is regarded as indeterminate Pterosauria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A partial distal left metacarpal IV of a pterodactyloid pterosaur is notable for its size. The specimen, from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Wessex Formation exposed on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight, southern England is identified as an ornithocheirid, perhaps close to the Ornithocheirus , Coloborhynchus , Caulkicephalus , Anhanguera complex. A morphometric analysis suggests an original wing span of approximately 5.6 m. With an early Barremian age, this pterosaur would have been a giant for its time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pterosaur faunas experienced dramatic turnover between the Early and Late Cretaceous, but fossils documenting this transition are rare. The mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco are one of a handful of localities preserving pterosaurs from this important interval. Previously reported taxa from the Kem Kem beds include the ornithocheirid Siroccopteryx moroccensis , the azhdarchoids Alanqa saharica and Xericeps curvirostris , an unnamed tapejarid, and a putative pteranodontid. Here, a new species of ornithocheirid, Coloborhynchus fluviferox sp. nov., is described on the basis of a well-preserved anterior rostrum fragment. It is assigned to Coloborhynchus based on the presence of an anteriorly directed first tooth pair protruding from a palatal surface, which is deflected dorsally by 90°. The new specimen differs from Siroccopteryx moroccensis and is distinguished from other species of Coloborhynchus by numerous characters, including an anterior palatal surface that defines a high isosceles triangle with two shallow, subcircular depressions located dorsal to premaxillary tooth pair one. The central region of alveoli for the first tooth pair is level with the dorsal borders of the second tooth pair and the mediodorsal crest rises steeply forming a blunt termination of the rostrum. The new species brings the number of pterosaur species from the Kem Kem beds to at least 5. The Kem Kem pterosaur assemblage resembles other Early Cretaceous faunas in having a high diversity of toothed forms, but also resembles latest Cretaceous faunas in having several edentulous azhdarchoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mythunga camara , the most complete pterosaur described from Australia, derives from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Toolebuc Formation of central Queensland, Australia. Although it was originally described as an archaeopterodactyloid, more recently Mythunga has been designated as an indeterminate anhanguerid or ornithocheiroid. The holotype specimen is a partial skull, comprising a fragment of the premaxilla, incomplete maxillae and dentaries, and an isolated cranial element preserved in matrix within the nasoantorbital fenestra. Reassessment of the holotype specimen has revealed several new features, which enable a re-evaluation of the phylogenetic position of this taxon. Primary among these observations is that the anteriormost preserved teeth are, in fact, the root of a maxillary tooth and its replacement, rather than a pair of contralateral teeth; thus, they do not represent the anteriormost tooth pair as previously proposed. Redescription of the holotype specimen has also resulted in the identification of several previously unrecognised features, including several nutrient foramina on the maxilla and mandible and shallow channels on the maxilla. Furthermore, the bone lodged within the nasoantorbital fenestra is identified herein as the right splenial. Following the redescription and reinterpretation of the holotype specimen, the phylogenetic position of Mythunga camara was assessed. Although this analysis placed Mythunga within the Anhangueria, most of this clade was reduced to a polytomy; only the clades representing Anhanguera and Boreopterinae + Guidraco were resolved. The classification of Mythunga within Anhangueria indicates that this clade was widespread, and perhaps achieved a global distribution by the late Early Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterosaurs, an extinct group that ruled Mesozoic skies, flourished during the Cretaceous. Knowledge about their radiation largely comes from several Lagerstätten, especially in China and Brazil. Despite their abundance and diversity in other continents during the latest Early Cretaceous, pterosaurs from East Asia in this period are extremely rare, rendering their evolutionary history still unexplored. Here we redescribe pterosaur remains from the Albian Doushan Formation of Laiyang, Shandong Province, China, to refine such gap. The most completely preserved element, a femur, can be assigned to the Azhdarchoidea, a clade achieving global distribution by the end of the Early Cretaceous, based on combination of derived and plesiomorphic characters including the triangular and anteriorly curved 'greater trochanter', a deep 'intertrochanteric fossa' with a pneumatic foramen, presence of a bulbous ridge and a pulley-like lateral condyle. Moreover, osteological correlates for thigh muscles on the femur are identified here using the Extant Phylogenetic Bracket method. The general pattern of these osteological correlates is conservative when compared with other basal ornithodirans. The pterosaurian 'greater trochanter' is not homologous to the lesser trochanter in other archosaurs as previously suggested. M. femorotibialis internus is subdivided into two parts in some pterosaurs, probably representing a derived trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tapejaridae is an exquisite toothless pterodactyloid clade of pterosaurs that flourished in the Jehol Biota with well-developed premaxillary and dentary crests, large nasoantorbital fenestra and downward rostrum. Since Sinopterus dongi has been reported from the Jiufotang Formation, most of the Chinese tapejarids were discovered from this geological unity. Eopteranodon lii , the first tapejarid from the Yixian Formation, was formerly referred to the Pteranodontidae and is now assigned to the Tapejaridae. Here, Eopteranodon yixianensis sp. nov. is reported from this latter formation as differing from all other known tapejarids by largest rostral value (10.88); the nasoantorbital fenestra is not as long as that of other tapejarids (accounting for 35% of the skull length). Furthermore, the skull's length/height ratio is ∼5.67; the lower bony crest occupies ∼42% of the total mandibular length; the humerus and the fourth wing phalanx length ratio is ∼2.17 and the downturn rostral angle is ∼17°. New data on the evolution (morphology and geographical origin) of the group is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus and species, Xericeps curvirostris gen. et sp. nov., is erected for a highly distinctive pterosaur mandible from the mid-Cretaceous (?Albian to lower Cenomanian) Kem Kem beds of south east Morocco. The new taxon is referred to Azhdarchoidea based on the absence of teeth, slenderness of its mandible with sulcate occlusal surface, presence on the posterior section of the mandibular symphysis of short paired ridges bounding a central groove, and the presence of elongate foramina on its occlusal and lateral surfaces. A slight dorsal curvature determines it as a distinct genus of azhdarchoid, as does an autapomorphy: the presence of a continuous longitudinal groove on the ventral midline of the mandibular symphysis. The new species brings to three the number of named pterosaurs from the Kem Kem beds and together with an unnamed tapejarid, points to a relatively diverse pterosaur assemblage in these deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A giant humerus (450 mm total length) belonging to one of the largest pterosaur recorded in South America is described. The specimen (UNCUYO-LD 350) was discovered in the Upper Cretaceous (upper Coniacian – lower Santonian) Plottier Formation of the Mendoza Province, northern Neuquén Basin, Argentina. It was found associated with a smaller pterosaur specimen represented by around thirty postcranial bones. The specimen is assigned to Tapejaroidea and show characters of both Tapejaridae and Azhdarchidae. Based on comparisions with other Azdharchidae species, a wingspan of 9.1 m is estimated for UNCUYO-LD 350, showing that giant pterosaurs were present in South America during the Upper Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wealden Supergroup of south-east England has long been of interest to palaeontologists because of its diverse flora and fauna. The Supergroup is Early Cretaceous in age, occupying the time period immediately after the enigmatic end-Jurassic extinction. Wealden faunas therefore have the potential to be informative about the tempo and mode of post-extinction recovery, but due to lack of exposure in this densely populated part of southern England, are difficult to sample. In the summer of 2012, a number of ex situ fossiliferous blocks of sandstone, siltstone and limestone were discovered from building excavations at Ardingly College, near Haywards Heath in West Sussex. The sedimentology of the blocks indicates that they are from the Valanginian Hastings Group, and that Ardingly College is underlain by the Grinstead Clay Formation, rather than the Ardingly Sandstone Member. The blocks contain a diverse invertebrate fauna and flora, as well as vertebrate remains, which are found in a distinct sandstone horizon that probably represents the Top Lower Tunbridge Wells pebble bed. A tooth from an ornithschian dinosaur cannot be referred to any of the ornithischian taxa known from the Wealden Supergroup, and therefore represents a new taxon. Teeth of the crocodilian Theriosuchus extend the known range of this taxon in the Wealden, while teeth of an ornithocheird pterosaur confirm the presence of these animals in the skies above the Wealden sub-basins. Fusainized plant remains and the wing-case of a cupedid beatle indicate that wildfire was a ubiquitous feature of the Weald Sub-basin during the Valanginian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this application, under Article 81.1 of the Code, is to conserve the widely used binomen Quetzalcoatlus northropi in its accustomed usage by making the generic and specific names available and attributing authorship to Lawson (1975b). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While pterosaurs occur in the Lower Jurassic strata of Britain and Germany, only the family Rhamphorhynchidae is currently known found in both. A newly discovered humerus from the Whitby Mudstone Formation of Lincolnshire challenges this and is distinguished from all other Lower Jurassic British pterosaurs by its possession of a quadrangular deltopectoral crest. This is a rare morphotype which only occurs in Eudimorphodon , Austriadraco , Raeticodactylus , Carniadactylus and Campylognathoides . The Lincolnshire humerus compares well with these taxa but is identified as a cf. Campylognathoides sp. based on its age and palaeobiogeography. The genus Campylognathoides is a common pterosaur in the Toarcian Posidonia Shale of Germany and the new humerus supports continuity of pterosaur populations across central Laurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distal fragment of the wing metacarpal from the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation at the Novochernorechensk locality in Krasnoyarsk Territory, West Siberia, Russia, is nearly identical to the wing metacarpal of the dsungaripterid pterosaur Lonchognathosaurus acutirostris from the Lower Cretaceous of North-West China. It is identified here as cf. Lonchognathosaurus sp. Both specimens share a ridge on the dorsal condyle not found in other pterodactyloids. In the Siberian wing metacarpal there is a faint groove flanked by ridges on the dorsal surface of the shaft apparently for the reduced metacarpal III. This structure corresponds to the rugosity present in L. acutirostris and Dsungaripterus weii. The Siberian wing metacarpal represents the first pterosaur postcranial bone for the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation of West Siberia and the first record of the Dsungaripteridae in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cretornis hlavaci Friă, 1881 from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) of Czech Republic is a valid taxon referred to Azhdarchoidea based on having a saddle-shaped humeral head, pneumatic foramen on proximal humerus present on anterior side and absent on posterior side, elongate deltopectoral crest with subparallel proximal and distal margins, pneumatic foramen absent on distal side of humerus, metacarpals I-III not articulated with carpus and displaced on anterodorsal side of wing metacarpal, and wing metacarpal much longer than humerus. Absence of a pneumatic foramen on posterior side of proximal humerus suggests attribution of Cretornis hlavaci to Neoazhdarchia. It has a unique construction of the distal ulna with a dorsal articulation surface placed distinctly proximal to the tuberculum shared only with the non-azhdarchid azhdarchoid Montanazhdarcho minor from the Campanian of North America. Cretornis hlavaci differs from the latter taxon by the structure of its humerus and distinctly longer wing metacarpal. It is more derived than "Tapejaridae" but shares with Azhdarchidae the deltopectoral crest of the humerus displaced distally from humeral head. Cretornis cannot be assigned to Azhdarchidae because of the oval cross section of the second wing phalanx. A unique rhombic outline of the distal humerus of Cretornis hlavaci is a possible autapomorphy for this taxon. Its wing span estimated as 1.5-1.6 m. This is the first taxon of non-azhdarchid pterosaurs known from the Upper Cretaceous of the Eastern Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second pterosaur genus to be established, Rhamphorhynchus von Meyer, 1847 , has historically been used as a wastebasket material. Several species have been erected for fossils found in Europe and Africa, the majority of which are based on non-diagnostic material. Following Bennett's (1996) review of its taxonomy, Rhamphorhynchus is generally regarded as a monospecific taxon restricted to the Late Kimmeridgian and Tithonian of Southern Germany. Here we describe a disarticulated but complete right pterosaur wing, MJML K-1597 from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of England. Based on a combination of morphology and statistical analysis, MJML K-1597 can safely be referred to Rhamphorhynchus , making it the first diagnostic Rhamphorhynchus specimen from outside of Germany. Furthermore, based on the unique length ratio between wing phalanx 1 and wing phalanx 2, MJML K-1597 can be referred to a new species of Rhamphorhynchus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review paper, several take-off techniques of different species of animal flyers and gliders, both extinct and extant, are analysed. The methods they use vary according to animal group and size. Smaller animals, such as insects, rely on the use of transient aerodynamic techniques or the use of stored elastic energy. Medium-size flyers such as birds, bats, and other mammal gliders initiate flight by a jump which involves leg and wing movement coordination. The largest animals to fly, the extinct pterosaurs, are believed to have used a combination of aerodynamic and mechanic techniques in order to become airborne. The information presented here can be used as a resource for novel biomimetic unmanned aircraft design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A jaw bone attributed to the mid-Cretaceous azhdarchid pterosaur Alanqa saharica Ibrahim et al., 2010 is described. The new specimen from the Kem Kem beds of south eastern Morocco is unusual for the presence of expanded rostral bones that protrude above the occlusal surface of the jaws. The function of this unusual osteological modification is uncertain, but it is considered likely that it served a role in food processing, or perhaps jaw stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new locality with ctenochasmatid pterosaurs found in a tidal estuarine paleoenvironment of the Quebrada Monardes Formation (Lower Cretaceous). The new locality, which is named "Cerro Tormento", is in Cerros Bravos in the northeast Atacama region, Northern Chile. Here, we describe four cervical vertebrae, one of them belonging to a small individual, the impression of a right scapulocoracoid, a left coracoid, an impression of a left humerus, an incomplete left humerus, a distal fragment of the right humerus, and impressions of a left femur and tibiotarsus. The presence of three humeri and a cervical vertebra belonging to a small pterosaur indicate that these materials represent more than one individual. The cervical vertebrae present diagnostic traits shared with ctenochasmatid pterosaurs, such as elongated vertebral centra, with integrated neural arch, low neural spines, and dorsally located neural canal. It is currently not possible to determine if there are one or more species represented. This finding is the second geographic occurrence of pterosaurs of the clade Ctenochasmatidae in the Atacama region, although it is currently uncertain if ctenochasmatids from both locations were contemporaneous. This suggests that the clade Ctenochasmatidae was widespread in what is now northern Chile. In addition, the presence of bones belonging to more than one individual preserved in Cerro Tormento suggest that pterosaur colonies were present at the southwestern margin of Gondwana during the Early Cretaceous. • A second Lower Cretaceous locality with pterosaurs is reported in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile. • Cerro Tormento represents a new locality with ctenochamatid pterosaurs in the Atacama Desert. • The clade Ctenochasmatidae had a wide geographic distribution in what is now northern Chile during the Early Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Early Cretaceous ornithocheiroid pterosaur Istiodactylus latidens (Pterosauria, Archosauria, Reptilia) from the Wealden Supergroup of the Isle of Wight, southern England, has a distinctive dentition of labio-lingually compressed, sub-triangular tooth crowns with a triangular osseous projection at the dentary symphysis that occluded into a similarly shaped diastema between the first teeth of the left and right premaxillae and functioned as an odontoid (pseudotooth). A somewhat similar triangular bony projection occurs also in the istiodactylid Longchengpterus zhaoi from the Cretaceous of China. The possession of an odontoid at the dentary symphysis may be autapomorphy for Istiodactylidae. The apparent lack of an odontoid in other istiodactylids (Liaoxipterus brachyognathus Dong and Lü, 2005 and Istiodactylus sinensis Andres and Ji, 2006) may be a consequence of poor preservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new specimen of pterosaurian metacarpal IV from the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) Durlston Formation of Dorset, southern England, closely resembles those of the Chinese dsungaripterid Dsungaripterus weiiYoung, 1964 and the Central Asian azhdarchid Azhdarcho lancicollisNessov, 1984. However, the new specimen lacks the thickened bony wall typical of Dsungaripteridae and is therefore regarded as azhdarchoid. An mcIV with a markedly offset distal condyle with well-developed diaphyseal constriction behind the distal condyle and asymmetrical condylar margins may be an autapomorphy of Dsungaripteridae + Azhdarchoidea, while the same condition with bone thickening may typify Dsungaripteridae. The new specimen also provides osteological evidence supporting claims for large wing-spanned pterosaurs in the Berriasian of southern England based previously only on ichnological finds. The new specimen suggests a wingspan of between 2.9 and 3.7 m and represents the largest pterosaur from the Berriasian. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new ctenochasmatoid pterosaur, Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis gen. et sp. nov. from the Yixian Formation of western Laioning Province is erected based on a complete skull and partial postcranial skeleton. It is characterized by following features: about 50 total teeth with sharp tips; small nasoantorbital opening, occupying approximately 13% of the skull length; ratio of prenarial length to skull length approximately 0.63. The diagnoses of the Ctenochasmatoidea and Gallodactylidae are amended based on the new taxon. Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis is the first gallodactylid pterosaur found in Asia. Its discovery not only provides much more osteological information about the Gallodactylidae but also indicates that the ctenochasmatoid pterosaurs were highly diverse in the Early Cretaceous. The filamentous structures preserved near the dorsal and posterior margins of the posterior portion of the skull and around the neck indicate that it had an epidermal covering and may have been a warm-blooded animal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The assignment of a fragment of the anterior tip of a pterosaur rostrum from the Cenomanian Cambridge Greensand of eastern England to the ornithocheirid Coloborhynchus capito () is confirmed. The fragment represents partial left and right fused premaxillae and retains broken teeth within alveoli. A width across the palate of 57.4 mm, a height at the anterior rostrum in excess of 95 mm and a tooth with a diameter of 13 mm at the base of the crown indicates a remarkably large individual, tentatively estimated to have had a skull length in excess of 0.75 m and a wing span of up to 7 m. This fragment represents the largest toothed pterosaur yet reported. This find, and several other large postcranial fragments from the Cambridge Greensand, suggest that ornithocheirids, toothed ornithocheiroids known from the earliest Early to early Late Cretaceous (Valanginian–Cenomanian) achieved very large, but not giant size. Pteranodontids, edentulous ornithocheiroids currently known only from the mid Upper Cretaceous (Coniacian–early Campanian), reached similar dimensions, up to 7.25 m in wing span. Contrary to popular myth, however, ornithocheiroids did not attain the giant sizes (wing spans of 10 m or more) achieved by azhdarchids in the late Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Late Cretaceous (Santonian) continental vertebrate locality of Iharkút, western Hungary has provided numerous azhdarchid pterosaur remains including the recently described, Bakonydraco galaczi. Since the first report of these fossils, additional remains have been discovered that improve considerably our knowledge of some aspects of the anatomy of azhdarchid pterosaurs. New cranial material described here indicates an edentulous, non-crested premaxillary rostrum in Bakonydraco similar to that of Quetzalcoatlus and reveals that this rostrum was considerably thinner and more lightly built than the relatively massive, pointed mandibular symphysis. In addition, the contact surface of the upper and lower jaws of Bakonydraco at least in the symphyseal region was more similar to Tapejara wellnhoferi than to other azdarchids: the contact is irregular and the premaxilla does not fit closely the rostral part of the mandible. Among the postcranial material the atlas–axis complex possessing lateral pneumatic foramina is of great importance because it further supports the notion of interspecific variability of vertebral pneumaticity among pterosaurs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A partial skull comprising fused maxilla/premaxilla and palate of a ctenochasmatoid pterosaur from the Santana Formation of the Araripe Basin in NE Brazil is named as the new genus and species Unwindia trigonus gen. et sp. nov. on account of its long slender rostrum, isodonty with raised dental alveoli and dentition of seven tooth pairs restricted to the portion of the rostrum anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra. Unwindia is assigned to the Ctenochasmatoidea, and is probably basal within the clade. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In 1990, five well-preserved pterosaur trackways were discovered in the Kitadani Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of the Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. They occur on the surface of an isolated dark grey siltstone slab (70×50cm) along with amphibian and bird tracks as well as feeding marks. All pterosaur trackways (a total of 64 imprints) show a clear quadrupedal gait pattern comprising manus and pes prints which reflect their detailed anatomy of the feet. Manus and pes imprint is very small, average 22.6mm and 21.9mm long, respectively. The manus has an anteriorly oriented digit I imprint with a medially oriented hook-like sharp claw mark, which makes a high divarication (average 155.4°) between the posteriorly oriented digit III imprint. The high digital abduction clearly shows that digit I of the manus could be more hyper-extended anteriorly than previously thought: spreading the digits as much as possible would provide a more stable contact with substrate as well as better support the center of pterosaur body mass displaced anteriorly. The interdigital webbing of the pes imprint extends from the metatarso-phalangeal joint near to the bases of four claws. As these features clearly distinguish the Kitadani pterosaur trackways from five known ichnospecies of Pteraichnus, we assign them to a new ichnospecies, Pteraichnus nipponensis. Abundant small pterosaur ichnotaxa from Spain, Korea, and Japan indicate that many small pterodactyloid pterosaur species existed in the Early Cretaceous although there is no single skeletal datum yet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new species of the sail-crested pterosaur Tupuxuara is described from the Santana Formation of Brazil, Tupuxuara deliradamus sp. nov. The holotype, a partial skull, and a larger, partial skull referred to the same taxon differs from Tupuxuara leonardii by having a nasoantorbital fenestra with an acutely-angled posterior border with a long, straight posterodorsal margin, a reclined cranium, and an orbit situated entirely in the ventral half of the nasoantorbitral fenestra. Unfortunately, neither specimen is comparable with the fragmentary rostrum representing Tupuxuara longicristatus. In addition, resolution of a recent nomenclatural problem over the correct name for the clade containing Tupuxuara and its sister taxon, Thalassodromeus, is provided. Both genera are used by different authors as the nomenclatural basis for the group, but “Tupuxuaridae” has never been explicitly erected as a new taxon, and therefore fails to meet ICZN criteria that new taxa are only valid if authors clearly indicate their intention to establish new names. By contrast, “Thalassodrominae” was explicitly erected as a name for the Thalassodromeus + Tupuxuara clade, thereby fulfilling all ICZN requirements for naming of a new taxon and making Thalassodromeus stand as the type genus for this group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Lower Cretaceous Hutubei Formation of the southern Junggar Basin (northwestern China) is characterised by a very low faunal diversity, yielding almost exclusively the sinemydid turtle Wuguia. Here we describe the first pterosaur remains from the Hutubei Formation comprising a complete right ulna and the distal part of a left wing metacarpal. The ulna shares a synapomorphy with the Dsungaripteridae and is morphologically similar to that of the dsungaripterid Dsungaripterus. The wing metacarpal also shares a synapomorphy with the Dsungaripteridae and the more inclusive clade Dsungaripteroidea, and is morphologically nearly indistinguishable from those of the dsungaripterids Dsungaripterus , Lonchognathosaurus and Noripterus. We therefore assign both specimens to the Dsungaripteridae. They represent one of the oldest records of dsungaripterids from the Tugulu Group and one of the few occurrences of pterosaurs from the southern Junggar Basin. Additionally, they shed light on the community structure of a highly unusual ecosystem preserved in the Lower Cretaceous Hutubei Formation, an ecosystem that appears to have persisted for several millions of years in the southern Junggar Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterosaurs reached only modest sizes in the Triassic-Jurassic. By contrast, the Cretaceous saw a trend toward large to giant size (2 m to >6 m wingspans), and while small-medium (<1 m–2 m wingspans) sized forms are known from the Lower Cretaceous they are rare in the Upper Cretaceous. This pattern has been ascribed to the appearance of birds in the mid-Mesozoic, and their displacement of pterosaurs from niches previously occupied by small-medium sized forms. Here we show how new finds of small-very small pterosaurs (<1 m wingspans) from the mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of Morocco point to several sampling biases of the data upon which these patterns are founded. Evidence for the size range of these pterosaurs strongly correlates with sample-size: as the sample increased (from <100 to >400 specimens) both very small and giant forms have been discovered. Histological analysis suggests that very small/small morphs are immature individuals rather than species in which adults were small-bodied. This new data shows that size distribution patterns based on all available specimens differ markedly from those based on a much more restricted sub-set of named taxa. Critically, this analysis reveals that pterosaur size ranges in the Cretaceous do not reflect a switch to large and giant size, but an extension of the size range from very small through to giant forms. Cretaceous niches previously occupied by small pterosaurs in the Triassic and Jurassic were increasingly occupied not by birds but by early ontogenetic stages of large and giant pterosaurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerotitan sudamericanus, from the Upper Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin (Patagonia, Argentina), is known from a partial jaw fragment which has been interpreted as either an azhdarchid upper jaw, azhdarchid lower jaw, or thalassodromine upper jaw (as the sister-group of Alanqa). Here, we compare it in detail to upper and lower jaws of taxa belonging to all azhdarchoid lineages. It possesses a lateral angle (angle of divergence between occlusal and apex margins in lateral view) that is too low for an upper jaw of any azhdarchoid group. It further differs from thalassodromine upper jaws in exhibiting a convex occlusal margin (in lateral view), a sulcate occlusal surface, and lacking a sagittal crest. Furthermore, Aerotitan differs from Alanqa in 5 aspects: (1) occlusal margin shape in lateral view (convex in Aerotitan , straight in Alanqa), (2) median dentary eminence shape (slender in Aerotitan , posteriorly expanded in Alanqa), (3) median dentary eminence position (anterior in Aerotitan , close to the posterior end of the symphysis in Alanqa), (4) tomial edges shape (thick and blunt in Aerotitan , thin and sharp in Alanqa), and (5) occlusal surface anterior to the median eminence (cross-section concave in Aerotitan , slightly convex in Alanqa). We also conclude that the holotype of A. sudamericanus is a match for an azhdarchid lower jaw, being extremely similar to that of Mistralazhdarcho. When scored as a lower jaw in our phylogenetic analysis, it is recovered as a close relative of Mistralazhdarcho , in a polytomy that also includes Arambourgiania. In contrast, Alanqa is recovered as the sister-group of Keresdrakon , both located at the base of a broader clade of long-snouted azhdarchoids that also includes chaoyangopterids and azhdarchids, to the exclusion of tapejarines and thalassodromines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In 2004, fifty new pterosaur tracks were discovered in the Hasandong Formation (Lower Cretaceous), South Korea. They are preserved as natural casts on the surface of an isolated dark grey mudstone block (70×50cm). Manus and pes imprints are very small, averaging 25.6mm and 25.7mm long, respectively. The manus imprints (N=25) are tridactyl and digit I, II, III are strongly asymmetric. Fully plantigrade pes imprints (N=25) were left by elongate metatarsals with short four digits (the ratio of digit to whole pes length is 2.6). There is no trace of the 5th phalanx of the pes. As these features clearly distinguish the Hadong tracks from the type species of the ichnogenus Pteraichnus, we assign them to a new species, Pteraichnus koreanensis. They are stratigraphically the oldest pterosaur tracks in Korea and are distinguished by size and morphology from the two pterosaur ichnotaxa, Haenamichnus uhangriensis and Pteraichnus isp., previously reported from the Uhangri and Haman formations. Pteraichnus koreanensis is the smallest pterosaur track currently reported from Asia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A partial skeleton (including skull, mandible and soft tissue) of a new archaeopterodactyloid pterosaur, Gegepterus changi gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Liaoning, northeast China is described. The specimen, IVPP V 11981, was collected from grey shales of the lower Yixian Formation (125Ma) at the Sihetun locality, near the city of Beipiao. Several elements (cranial bones, scapula-coracoid) are not fused, suggesting that it probably represents a sub-adult individual at the time of death. Soft tissue is found near the posterior region of the skull, inside the orbit and associated with the gastralia. It is formed of an amorphous dark mineralized substance and does not show any particular structure except in an area at the posterior part of the skull where small, dark, unbranched fibres are present. Gegepterus changi shows synapomorphies of the Archaeopterodactyloidea sensu Kellner, 2003 (elongated mid-cervical vertebrae with low, blade-like neural spine and strongly inclined quadrate) and shares with the Gallodactylidae and the Ctenochasmatidae a concave dorsal margin of the skull. It further has a large number of thin, needle-like teeth and a long rostrum (anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra) allowing its allocation to the Ctenochasmatidae, thus making it the first uncontroversial member of this pterosaur clade in the Jehol Group. Gegepterus changi is diagnosed by several unique features (e.g., extensive sculpturing of frontals; anterior lacrimal process overlying the nasal; neural spine with knob-like dorsal expansion) and has cervical vertebrae that combine primitive and derived features (e.g., cervical ribs, postexapophyses, lateral pneumatic foramen) that have not been recorded in any member of Archaeopterodactyloidea so far. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fragmentary pterosaur remains from the Early Cretaceous Quebrada Monardes Formation of northern Chile are assigned to Ctenochasmatidae. Although not immediately referable to recognised genera, they differ from other South American occurrences of ctenochasmids and appear to share features of the dentition with Ctenochasma and Gnathosaurus from Late Jurassic deposits in Europe. A slightly spatulate rostrum may hint at affinities with the gnathosaurine ctenochasmatid Gnathosaurus. The presence of a possible gnathosaurine in South America is further evidence for a Hispanic corridor allowing faunal interchange between South America and Eurasia during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper represents an “editorial” introduction to this issue, which is one of two special issues of Cretaceous Research on the geology and paleontology of East Asia. This paper makes special reference to the results of joint Japanese, Chinese, and North American expeditions that investigated more than 70 fossil footprint sites and other fossiliferous localities in China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Mongolia, and Thailand. More than 50 of the track sites are considered Cretaceous in age, though in some cases dating is uncertain. We herein present summaries of selected important sites not previously described in detail based on new maps, tracings, and replicas of representative type specimens and related materials that have been assembled in accessible reference collections. Other sites are described in detail elsewhere in this issue and are placed in broader paleoenvironmental context in conjunction with papers that deal with floras, invertebrate and vertebrate body fossils, paleoecosystem reconstruction, and their stratigraphic, sedimentological, and tectonic settings in the second of the two special issues. Preliminary syntheses suggest that Cretaceous vertebrate ichnofaunas of East Asia contain various distinctive elements that are neither typical nor common in other regions. These include an abundance and significant diversity of bird tracks, some with web impressions, various small theropod tracks including diminutive examples (Grallator and Minisauripus) with foot lengths of 2.0–3.0cm, probable small dromeosaurid tracks (Velociraptorichnus), probable coelurosaurid tracks with bilobed heel impressions (Siampodus), and various small ornithopod tracks that resemble Anomoepus. Giant pterosaur tracks (Haenamichnus) are also unique to this area. A review of the ichnotaxonomy generously accepts about eleven valid ichnogenera of dinosaurs, two of pterosaurs, and nine of birds. At least ten other ichnogenera are dubious and among these several have already been rejected. A preliminary overview of these ichnotaxa in broader context suggests that the dominance of bird and theropod ichnotaxa is a valid reflection of a corresponding dominance of birds and theropod body-fossil taxa. We also note partitioning of ichnofaunas into saurischian-dominated assemblages from low, tropical latitudes and semi-arid, inland basin paleoenvironments, and ornithopod-rich assemblages from higher, more temperate latitudes and humid, coastal paleoenvironments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Diverse and well-preserved assemblages of dinosaur (theropod, sauropod and ornithopod), pterosaur, and bird tracks from the Hekou Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in the Yellow River (Huang He) valley represent the first significant fossil footprint discoveries in Gansu Province, China. However, the sites are large, visually spectacular, and well-exposed thanks to labor-intensive hand excavation. The sites have the potential for development as educational and tourist destinations. These sites have become one of the National Geoparks in China. Dinosaur tracks include at least two theropod morphotypes that range in size from about 5 to >30cm in length. Wide-gauge sauropod tracks (Brontopodus) range in size from 25 to 90cm (pes length) and are the best-preserved examples known from China, with clear claw impressions. One trackway suggests an accelerating/running individual. Parallel ornithopod trackways indicate gregarious behavior. An enigmatic trackway may be a manus-only ornithopod trackway. A pterosaur trackway (cf. Pteraichnus), the first reported from China, consists of 24 consecutive footprints, and is the longest, well-preserved trackway on record. Bird tracks (cf. Aquatilavipes) are also very well preserved. The tracks occur at multiple stratigraphic levels in fluvio-lacustrine sequences of paleosol mudstones and sandstones with mud cracks and wave ripple marks. A minimum ichnodiversity of eight, the highest reported from the Cretaceous of China, is estimated. The saurischian component (theropods and sauropods) compares well with Inner Mongolia ichnofaunas from the Jing Chuan Formation. However, the co-occurrence of ornithopod and sauropod tracks is rare in Asia and globally, and compares with assemblages from South Korea, a similar Cretaceous paleolatitude (ca. 30°). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tracks of web-footed birds and pterosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) Haman Formation of Changseon and Sinsu Islands, respectively (southern coast of Korea), represent the oldest records for these footprint types in Asia. The morphology of the bird tracks, with prominent posteriorly directed hallux impression, semi-palmate web, and small ratio of length to width is similar to Hwangsanipes choughi from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Uhangri Formation. However, they about 20–25% smaller, and therefore much closer to the size of North American Ignotornis (size difference less than 10%). The development of the web appears intermediate in size between Hwangsanipes and Ignotornis. This leads us to infer a new ichnotaxon herein named Ignotornis yangi. This is the first Asian report of a named bird track similar to the type material of Ignotornis from North America. Pterosaur tracks consist predominantly of clear impressions of tridactyl mani (length 9–13cm) characterized by strongly asymmetric digit impressions that outnumber less-clear elongated pes traces by a ratio of about 10 to 1. Clusters of short digit impressions or parallel to subparallel scrape marks indicate incomplete pes traces probably made by swimming animals. The pterosaur tracks, here provisionally identified as Pteraichnus, represent the first record of this ichnogenus from Korea. The track maker represents a species quite different from the giant track maker represented by the ichnogenus Haenamichnus from the Cenomanian Uhangri Formation, but it is similar to recent reports of Pteraichnus-like forms from the Lower Cretaceous of China. These new records shed light on patterns of bird-track diversity and abundance in the “mid” Cretaceous of Korea (Aptian-Cenomanian) and show that at least two quite distinct pterosaurian species existed during this time span with at least six distinct species of track-making birds. When combined with additional reports of bird track ichnotaxa from China, the picture emerges of a remarkably diverse Lower Cretaceous avifauna. Such diversity is consistent with the skeletal record for this region, though the types of birds represented by tracks are “shorebird-like” and therefore distinct from the skeletal avifauna, which consist of birds of the perching type. The ability of tracks to record whole foot morphology including details of web and hallux configuration allows for fine discrimination of foot morphology and comparison with web-footed tracks from other regions and geologic time periods. As is the case with modern shore birds, Cretaceous tracks were probably mostly made by adults whose foot size as well as shape is probably indicative of the identity of the track maker at low taxonomic levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new pterosaur specimen comprising a partial skull and associated postcranial elements from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation of Yaverland, Isle of Wight, southern England, is assigned to a new genus and species of ornithocheirid pterosaur, Caulkicephalus trimicrodon gen. et sp. nov., based on several unique features including a heterodont dentition in which the fifth, sixth and seventh teeth are reduced in size compared with those at positions 1–4 and 8–9; the presence of a frontoparietal crest and maxillopremaxillary crest that do not unite over the antorbital fenestra or cranium; a palatal ridge that extends no further forward than the eighth to ninth tooth pairs. The new taxon is the second species of pterosaur from the Wealden Group of the Wessex Basin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new dsungaripteroid pterosaur, Lonchognathosaurus acutirostris gen. et sp. nov., is erected for the anterior part of a skull from the Lower Cretaceous Lianmuxin Formation (Upper Tugulu Group) of Liuhonggou, near Urumqi, in the southern Junggar Basin (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, People''s Republic of China). It is distinguished from other dsungaripteroids by its straight and delicate premaxillary rostrum, the presence of only eight teeth in each maxilla, of which the posteriormost is the smallest, and a tooth row that ends anterior to the fenestra nasopraeorbitalis. A phylogenetic analysis of the Dsungaripteroidea based on cranial characters indicates that Lonchognathosaurus is the sister taxon of Dsungaripterus. It is demonstrated that the Germanodactylidae is most probably a paraphyletic assemblage of basal, Jurassic dsungaripteroids. The genus Germanodactylus is probably paraphyletic as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Remains of Late Cretaceous toothed pterosaurs such as ornithocheirids and lonchodectids are almost unknown for post Cenomanian strata. Here we describe teeth referrable to ornithocheirid pterosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Dmitrov Formation of Ryazan region, European Russia. The teeth are somewhat worn, but retain sufficient features to satisfactorily refer them to Ornithocheiroidea, including their slender curved shape, presence of faint reticulated ribbing and a curved margin of the enamel - dentine contact. Although occurring in a Santonian deposit, the teeth are most likely derived from the underlying Cenomanian Yakhroma Formation. Although ornithocheirid teeth have been reported previously from European Russia, these teeth are the first from this region and the first evidence for Pterosauria in the Dmitrov Formation, which is better known for its elasmobranch and marine reptile assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new specimen of the Early Cretaceous pterodactyloid pterosaur Istiodactylus latidens is described. This specimen in the Moscow Vernadsky State Geological Museum represents the associated anterior ends of the rostrum and mandibular symphysis but lacks collection data. It likely comes from the Barremian-Aptian Vectis Formation of southern England based on a pollen analysis of the matrix sample. This specimen could represent the missing jaws of the holotype of I. latidens. The specimen was studied using computer microtomography. It has an isodont dentition consisting of large lancet-like interlocking teeth, a mandibular odontoid process, and a palatal ridge. The palatal ridge, known previously for some istiodactylid taxa, is reported here for the first time for Istiodactylus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonchognathosaurus is a poorly known dsungaripterid pterosaur based on a partial skull from the Lower Cretaceous Lianmuxin Formation of the southern Junggar Basin. In 2001, several postcranial elements were recovered close to the holotype skull of Lonchognathosaurus that are referable to the same individual as the holotype material. They comprise a distal carpal, a fourth metacarpal, a partial first phalanx of the wing finger and the complete second phalanx of the wing finger. The postcranial material resembles that of other dsungaripterids but also exhibits numerous differences, mostly concerning the morphology of the distal carpal, the proximal articular surface of the fourth metacarpal and the proximal articular surface of the first wing phalanx. Moreover, Lonchognathosaurus differs from all other dsungaripterids in its wing proportions, being the only dsungaripterid known so far with a shorter metacarpal IV than second wing phalanx. This last character represents an additional autapomorphy of Lonchognathosaurus and confirms the validity of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new and articulated specimen of a pterosaur wing including the humerus, radius/ulna, parts of the carpus and metacarpus and a first wing phalanx from Maastrichtian phosphatic deposits of Morocco is assigned to Tethydraco regalis Longrich et al., 2018. Aspect of the humerus morphology, shape of the deltopectoral crest and ratios of the wing elements suggest that T. regalis is an azhdarchid rather than pteranodontian pterosaur, as originally proposed. A high abundance of azhdarchid remains in the open marine setting of the Moroccan phosphates casts doubt on suggestions that Azhdarchidae are largely terrestrial pterosaurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pteranodontoid pterosaur with anhanguerid affinities (MPSC R 1935) from the Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Aptian), is described here and provides one of the few cases where the ontogenetic stage is established by comparison of skeletal fusion and detailed osteohistological analyses. The specimen comes from the Baixa Grande locality (Araripe Municipality – Ceará State) and is one of the few pterosaurs from the Araripe Basin with precise geographic and stratigraphic data. It consists of a left forelimb, comprising an incomplete humerus, metacarpal IV, pteroid and digits I, II, III, IV, including unguals. This specimen has an estimated maximized wingspan between 5.76 m and 5.84 m and a normal wingspan between 5.47 m and 5.54 m, and despite its large dimensions, is considered as an ontogenetically immature individual. Where observable, all bone elements are unfused, such as the extensor tendon process of the first phalanx and the carpal series. The absence of some microstructures such as bone resorption cavities, endosteal lamellae, an external fundamental system (EFS), and growth marks supports this interpretation. Potentially, this individual could have reached a gigantic wingspan, contributing to the hypothesis that such large flying reptiles might have been abundant during the Early Cretaceous of what is now the northeastern portion of Brazil. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight and they staged a major radiation in the Cretaceous. Cretaceous pterosaurs occupied many of the niches occupied today by birds, including aerial insect hawkers, piscivores, and filter feeders. The diversity of this radiation remains poorly known due to the uneven stratigraphic and geographic distribution of pterosaur fossils. Much of what is known about pterosaur diversity comes from a handful of Lagerstätten, representing primarily lacustrine, lagoonal, and marine palaeoenvironments, primarily in Laurasia. These sites may fail to capture pterosaur diversity in other habitats and regions, such as Gondwana. Here, we describe a unique small, long-beaked pterosaur, Leptostomia begaaensis gen. et sp. nov., from fluvial mid-Cretaceous (?Albian–Cenomanian) strata of Morocco, North Africa, with adaptations for sediment probing. The upper and lower jaws form a hyperelongate dorsoventrally flattened beak, with thickened bony walls. The morphology most closely resembles that of probing birds such as kiwis, ibises, and curlews that probe in mud or earth for invertebrates. The affinities of the new pterosaur are unclear. It likely represents an azhdarchoid, but does not clearly fit within any known azhdarchoid clade. The new pterosaur adds to the remarkable diversity of pterosaurs known from the mid-Cretaceous, and suggests that pterosaur diversity remains under sampled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sense of touch is important for hunting and feeding in vertebrates, especially when visual cues are unreliable. Foramina in the jaws and face, associated with nerves and sensory organs, may provide information about feeding. Pterosaurs, many of which had large, well-developed eyes, are often assumed to have been visual feeders. Here, we show that the lonchodectid pterosaur Lonchodraco giganteus (Bowerbank, 1846) has clusters of circular foramina at the anterior mandibular symphysis (the odontoid) and on the lateral margins of the rostrum that indicate enhanced sensitivity of the rostrum tip. This pattern implies tactile foraging. The foramina were likely occupied by Herbst corpuscles or similar integumentary sensory micro-organs (ISO). They presumably served a sensory function at the jaw tip to enhance food gathering. A similar morphology occurs in some avians that feed using tactile cues, including probe feeders such as kiwis, sandpipers, and ibises, tactile hunters such as spoonbills, and filter feeders such as ducks and flamingos. The beak morphology of L. giganteus does not closely resemble that of these birds, and thus its modus operandi for feeding remains speculative, however tactile foraging for fish or invertebrates in shallow water seems likely. Like birds, pterosaurs evolved a diverse range of feeding strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]