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In the palaeogeographical context of the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean at the end of the Early Cretaceous, we document here the first microvertebrate fauna recorded from the Aptian deposits of Gadoufaoua, Niger. A systematic study of the fauna has resulted in a significant expansion of the existing faunal list and increase our knowledge of the palaeobiodiversity of the Gadoufaoua fossil site. Some taxa were previously recorded (lungfishes, crocodilians, chelonians, etc.), but several new taxa are described here for the first time, including the first occurrence of a stem-boreosphenidan mammal in Africa for this time-interval. In addition, chondrichthyans, pterosaurs and lissamphibians are documented. The analysis of taxonomic diversity and preservation of the fossils confirms a floodplain depositional environment (more precisely channel-type), in a higher velocity flow regime than previously thought based on studies of the macrofauna. To confirm the depositional environment inferred by the state of preservation of the fossils, a preliminary comparison with the fauna of similar age from the Santana Formation (Brazil) has been undertaken. The hypothesis of a communication between Africa and South America during the Aptian, as had already been demonstrated based on studies of the macrofauna, is strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monospecific assemblages of non-avian theropod tracks are relatively rare in the Cretaceous of Korea, where assemblages dominated by the tracks of diverse tetrapods (birds, sauropods, ornithopods, and pterosaurs) are well known and widely distributed in the Haman and Jindong formations (Hayang Group). To date, few high-density assemblages of theropod tracks have been documented. A Haman Formation site on Adu Island reveals a small high-density assemblage of Grallator tracks (~29 tracks/m2). The tracks, which indicate registration on a sandy substrate infused with microbial mat, are indistinguishable from Grallator tracks known from a few other Lower Cretaceous sites in China and east Asia. Early and Middle Jurassic Grallator-dominated assemblages are common in east Asia, and persist into the Late Jurassic- Early Cretaceous (Neocomian) transition in China, where they are typically only associated with sauropodomorph tracks. Post-Neocomian (Aptian-Albian) Cretaceous assemblages from Korea are much more diverse, and characterised by tracks of sauropod and ornithopod dinosaurs, non-avian and avian theropods (birds), pterosaurs and other tetrapods. Post-Neocomian assemblages dominated by theropod tracks, are rare and no large monospecific grallatorid assemblages are currently known. [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]

The article reports that fossilized footprints of Dromaeosauriformipes rarus in South Korea suggest this sparrow-sized dinosaur flapped its feathered forelimbs while running, indicating a precursor to flight during the Cretaceous.

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that a sparrow-size relative of Tyrannosaurus rex may have used its wings to run faster and lengthen its stride, potentially as a precursor to flight. Fossilized footprints from South Korea indicate that this microraptor dinosaur may have flapped its wings while running, providing new evidence that flight may have evolved multiple times in different dinosaur lineages. While some paleontologists remain skeptical of these claims, the study offers intriguing insights into the potential aerial behaviors of feathered dinosaurs. [Extracted from the article]

Ornithocheiroidea was a globally diverse group of pterosaurs during the Cretaceous. However, well-documented ornithocheiroids are highly derived, hampering our understanding on the morphological evolution of this clade. Dsungaripterus weii Young, 1964 from the Lower Cretaceous Tugulu Group (Valanginian) of the Junggar Basin is an iconic early member of Ornithocheiroidea. Dsungaripterus is known from numerous three-dimensionally preserved specimens, ranging from isolated bones to partially articulated individuals. Here we provide a comprehensive description of the postcranium of Dsungaripterus. We find that Dsungaripterus has many autapomorphies in the postcranial skeleton parallelling its unique skull, including the asynchronous fusion between the sacrum and pelvis and a posterodorsal fossa of the humerus with a paper-thin bone wall. Dsungaripterus also displays some plesiomorphic features of Ornithoecheiroidea, for example, limb bones with relatively thick bone walls, variably reduced pneumatic features in cervical vertebrae and appendicular skeletons, absence of spinoprezygapophyseal and spinopostzygapophyseal ridges in middle-series cervical vertebrae, at least one metacarpal articulating with the distal syncarpal, and a distally displaced adductor ridge on the femur. Additionally, Dsungaripterus possesses some unexpected features possibly convergent with other members of Ornithocheiroidea. Although the postcranial skeletons of Dsungaripterus are represented by osteologically mature specimens, notable morphological variation is present. Functional reconstructions of several aspects of the postcranial skeleton of Dsungaripterus are elucidated, including the arrangement of the metacarpophalangeal region during terrestrial locomotion. Niche partitioning between the two dsungaripterids from the Tugulu Group of Wuerho, Dsungaripterus and Noripterus, is supported by their distinct dentitions, neck morphology, and limb proportions. [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]

New pterosaur tracks from the Cenomanian Candeleros Formation (Neuquén Basin) have been discovered in the Aguada de Tuco locality, northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Preserved in medium-grained sandstones originating from alluvial deposits, these tracks include both isolated manus and pes impressions. The manus tracks are tridactyl and display a marked asymmetry, while pes tracks exhibit three-digit impressions and a subrectangular to subtriangular shape. The absence of a clearly defined trackway, coupled with the limited preservation quality of the documented pes tracks and distinctions from known pterosaur ichnotaxa, prompted the provisional assignment of these tracks to aff. Pteraichnus isp. They also exhibit a different morphology from previously recorded tracks within the same unit, thus contributing to a greater morphological variability of pterosaur tracks for the Candeleros Formation. Additionally, these tracks are found in association with narrow furrows interpreted as traces left by pterosaur manus and pes claws. Considering the shape and preservation of these tracks and the fragmentary record of pterosaurs from the Neuquén Basin, it is possible to attribute the producers to pterodactyloid pterosaurs. Moreover, the observed variability in manus track size, all sharing a similar morphology, suggests having been produced by individuals of different ages rather than different species of pterodactyloid pterosaurs. This study significantly contributes to our understanding of the pterosaur track record from Gondwana and the Cenomanian worldwide. • New Cenomanian pterosaur tracks from Patagonia enhance the limited Gondwanan record. • Pterodactyloid manus and pes impressions are preserved in alluvial deposits. • The tracks are provisionally assigned to aff. Pteraichnus isp. • Variability in manus track sizes suggests individuals of different ages. • Narrow furrows associated with tracks suggest pterosaur claw traces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of soft tissue effects on joint mobility in extant animals can help to constrain hypotheses about joint mobility in extinct animals. However, joint mobility must be considered in three dimensions simultaneously, and applications of mobility data to extinct taxa require both a phylogenetically informed reconstruction of articular morphology and justifications for why specific structures' effects on mobility are inferred to be similar. We manipulated cadaveric hip joints of common quail and recorded biplanar fluoroscopic videos to measure a 'ligamentous' range of motion (ROM), which was then compared to an 'osteological' ROM on a ROM map. Nearly 95% of the joint poses predicted to be possible at the hip based on osteological manipulation were rendered impossible by ligamentous constraints. Because the hip joint capsule reliably includes a ventral ligamentous thickening in extant diapsids, the hip abduction of extinct ornithodirans with an offset femoral head and thin articular cartilage was probably similarly constrained by ligaments as that of birds. Consequently, in the absence of extraordinary evidence to the contrary, our analysis casts doubt on the 'batlike' hip pose traditionally inferred for pterosaurs and basal maniraptorans, and underscores that reconstructions of joint mobility based on manipulations of bones alone can be misleading.

The pterosaur fossil record in Portugal is scarce, comprising mainly isolated teeth and rare postcranial material. Here, we describe a well-preserved right proximal femur of a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Kimmeridgian, Upper Jurassic Praia da Amoreira–Porto Novo Formation of Peniche, Portugal. It is noteworthy for its relatively large size, compared to other Jurassic pterosaurs. It shows affinities with dsungaripteroids based on a combination of features including the bowing of the shaft, the mushroom-like cap of the femoral head, and the distinctly elevated greater trochanter. The femur has a relatively thinner bone wall compared to dsungaripterids, and is more similar to basal dsungaripteroids. A histological analysis of the bone cortex shows it had reached skeletal maturity. The preserved last growth period indicates fast, uninterrupted growth continued until the final asymptotic size was reached, a growth pattern which could best be compared to pterodactyloid femora from the Early Cretaceous. The specimen is the second confirmed report of a dsungaripteroid from the Jurassic, and it is the first record of this group from the Iberian Peninsula.

Launch is the most energetically expensive part of flight and is considered a limiting factor in the size of modern flyers. Pterosaurs reached significantly larger sizes than modern flyers and are proposed to have launched either bipedallly or quadrupedally. We investigated the ability of a medium-sized ornithocheiraean pterosaur to assume the poses required to launch bipedally or quadrupedally. We applied range of motion (ROM) mapping methodology to the pectoral and pelvic girdles to identify viable poses at varying levels of appendicular cartilage based on the extant phylogenetic bracket. The ROMs were constrained by novel triangulated minimum stretch methodology, used to identify the restraining tissue ROM. Our study indicates that a medium-sized ornithocheiraean could assume the poses required to use a quadrupedal launch and, with an additional 10° of hindlimb abduction, a bipedal launch, although further analysis is required to determine whether sufficient muscular power and leverage was available to propel the animal into the air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe the first pterosaur remains from Angola, an assemblage of fourteen bones from the Lower Maastrichtian marine deposits of Bentiaba, Namibe Province. One new species is introduced, Epapatelo otyikokolo, gen. et sp. nov., which comprises an articulated partial left humerus and ulna as well as an articulated left ulna and radius (from a second individual). Phylogenetic analysis confirms a non-nyctosaurid pteranodontian attribution for this new taxon and supports a new apomorphy-based clade, Aponyctosauria, which is here defined. Late Cretaceous pteranodontians are rare in Sub-Saharan Africa and throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Preliminary histological analysis also reveals a likely sub-adult age for one of the specimens. This fossil assemblage provides a first glimpse of Angolan pterosaur paleobiodiversity providing further insight into the Gondwanan ecosystems of the Upper Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tapejaridae were an apparently worldwide distributed clade of edentulous pterosaurs, being a major component of several Lower Cretaceous terrestrial faunas. Despite their distribution across Gondwana and Laurasia, the oldest tapejarid remains were found in Barremian units from Europe, what led to the assumption that the clade originated in Eurasia and later dispersed southwards. Here we present a new tapejarid pterosaur species (Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov.) from the Lower Cretaceous Romualdo Formation of Brazil. The holotype (MPSC R 1056) comprises an incomplete, three dimensionally preserved skull, lower jaw, and cervical vertebrae. It shows a unique combination of features such as unusually tall and comparatively short nasoantorbital fenestrae, as well as a premaxillary crest forming an angle of about 45° with respect to main skull axis. Phylogenetic analyses recover the new taxon as a Tupuxuara-related Thalassodrominae, a clade of early-diverging tapejarids that were apparently indigenous to central Gondwana. The inclusion of the new taxon in current phylogenetic frameworks, in addition to similarity cluster analyses of Early Cretaceous tapejarid-bearing pterosaur faunas, indicate Gondwana as the most parsimonious origin center for Tapejaridae, and show that pterosaur communities were affected by large scale tectonic-driven vicariant events.

We describe partial remains of a non-pterodactyloid pterosaur from Upper Jurassic levels of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. The material includes a left humerus, a possible dorsal vertebra, and the shaft of a wing phalanx, all preserved in three dimensions and likely belonging to a single individual. The humerus has a hatchet-shaped deltopectoral crest, proximally positioned, and its shaft is markedly anteriorly curved, which are characteristic features of the clade Rhamphorhynchidae. In addition, the presence of a groove that runs along the caudal surface of the phalanx, being flanked by two asymmetric crests, is a distinctive feature of the clade Rhamphorhynchinae, which includes such genera as Rhamphorhynchus and Nesodactylus. Previous to this research, known records of Rhamphorhynchinae were restricted to Laurasia; thus, the specimen studied here represents the first evidence of this group found to date in Gondwana. Associated ammonoids allow us to assign the material to a middle Oxfordian age, which makes this specimen the oldest known pterosaur found in Chile, and the first of Oxfordian age in Gondwana. This discovery suggests that the clade Rhamphorhynchidae had a global distribution during the Late Jurassic.

Pterodactylus from the uppermost Jurassic of southern Germany represents one of the most iconic pterosaurs, due to its status of being the first member of the Pterosauria to have been described and named. During the early phase of pterosaur research, Pterodactylus was a wastebasket taxon containing dozens of sometimes distantly related assigned species. Decades later, a comprehensive revision of the genus significantly reduced the number of species. To date, only one species remains in the genus, Pterodactylus antiquus, although the referral of several specimens to this taxon and the taxonomic relationships of them is still debated. Thus far, the genus has been only reported from the Upper Jurassic Plattenkalk deposits of Bavaria, and all of these occurrences are Tithonian in age. Here we describe the first record of Pterodactylus from the Torleite Formation near Painten (Bavaria), which represents the first occurrence of the genus from the Kimmeridgian. The specimen is a complete, articulated and exquisitely preserved skeleton of a small-sized individual. Aside from its old geological age, it is a typical representative of the genus, greatly resembling other specimens from younger strata. Certain characters, such as the overall size, skull length, relative orbit size, and phalangeal formula indicate that the specimen from Painten represents a juvenile to young subadult individual, an ontogenetic stage rarely found among Pterodactylus specimens. The find significantly expands the temporal range of the taxon and represents one of the best-preserved specimens of the genus reported so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Istiodactylidae is a group of pterodactyloids characterised by large nasoantorbital fenestrae and labiolingually compressed teeth, with several records reported from the Early Cretaceous of northeastern China and western Europe. Here we report a new istiodactylid, Lingyuanopterus camposi gen. et sp. nov. from the Jiufotang Formation of Lingyuan, Liaoning, northeastern China. The holotype is represented by a nearcomplete skull, mandible and atlas-axis complex. It is distinguished from other istiodactylids by several characters, including two autapomorphies: short triangular tooth crowns with sharp mesial and distal carinae limited to the distal teeth, mandibular symphysis occupying approximately a quarter the mandible length. We also report the presence of helical jaw joints in istiodactylids, and provide a revised diagnosis of the clade Istiodactylidae, which includes five genera: Istiodactylus, Liaoxipterus, Nurhachius, Luchibang and Lingyuanopterus. Four pellets containing fish fragments were observed and are tentatively interpreted as bromalites of Lingyuanopterus. Although members of this clade possess similar skull morphologies, istiodactylids vary in terms of their dentition, with at least three forms from the Jiufotang Formation alone. This may represent different feeding strategies, and also indicate a similarity between the pterosaur assemblages of northeastern China and Britain during the Early Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe a new pterosaur footprint assemblage from the Hwasun Seoyuri tracksite in the Upper Cretaceous Jangdong Formation of the Neungju Basin in Korea. The assemblage consists of many randomly oriented prints in remarkably high densities but represents a single ichnotaxon, Pteraichnus. Individuals exhibit a large but continuous size range, some of which, with a wingspan estimated at 0.5 m, are among the smallest pterosaurs yet reported from the Upper Cretaceous, adding to other recent finds which contradict the idea that large and giant forms entirely dominated this interval. Unusual features of the tracks, including relatively long, slender pedal digit impressions, do not match the pes of any known Cretaceous pterosaur, suggesting that the trackmakers are as yet unknown from the body fossil record. The Hwasun pterosaur footprints appear to record gregarious behavior at the exact location by individuals of different ages, hinting at the possibility that pterosaurs gathered in mixed-age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tapejarid pterosaurs flourished in the Jehol Biota with an abundance of immature individuals and a rarity of individuals at skeletal maturity. Most of these individuals plot well on an ontogenetic series based on the proportions of limb elements, but this has lacked histological evidence until now. Here, a new wing skeleton of Sinopterus was thin-sectioned to provide the first histological data about the ontogeny of the Jehol tapejarids. Histologically, the new specimen is an immature individual at a late juvenile stage prior to sexual maturity. It is grouped with medium-sized and medium-crested individuals, which are distinct from the small-sized and crestless individuals as well as the rare large-sized and large-crested individuals at skeletal maturity, supporting the presence of the premaxillary crest as an ontogenetic feature in the Jehol tapejarids. Furthermore, this histology indicates that the largest skeletally immature individuals might have reached the sexual maturity. Enigmatically, there is a size gap between sexual and skeletal maturity, which is at about 79% of the large size, implying a ontogenetic strategy comparable with Pteranodon and possibly with the Brazilian tapejarid Caiuajara. This size gap is consistent with lack of the larger sexually mature individuals in the Jehol Biota, which is hypothesized to be a migratory habitat for the Jehol tapejarids. [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]

We report new ichnites corresponding to a trackway composed of three tetradactyl pedal footprints and plant remains near Southeastern Guatacondo, Tarapacá Region, within the transition of Majala and Chacarilla Formations (Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous). The fossils were found in the context of a Copper Mining road construction at the PK23 site, Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 project, by the Teck Mining Company Quebrada Blanca S.A. We performed stratigraphical, paleobotanical, and paleoichnological studies, along with the footprint characterization and comparisons by Principal Component Analysis, and Discriminant Analysis of I-II, II-III and III-IV interdigital angles, using a large tetradactyl footprint morphological database of potential producers (dinosaurs, crocodiles, lepidosaurs, and pterosaurs). Additionally, we performed 3D pedal computer modeling kinematic analysis of the Chilesaurus diegosuarez i's 3D tetradactyl foot under two different sedimentary conditions (i.e. hard soil with superficial impression, and soft sediment with a penetrative impression), to test it as a potential trackmaker. The stratigraphic section reveals an association of siliciclastic facies, formed by the intercalation of fine-grained sandstones and wackes, with ripple marks, cross and horizontal lamination, evidencing intermittent moderate to low sedimentation energy. Among the plant material, several organs of the family Cheirolepidiaceae were identified such as, leaves and leafy branches of Brachyphyllum type, Classostrobus pollen cone, ovuliferous scales, and wood fragments related to Cupressinoxylon. The monodominance of Cheirolepidiaceae among the preserved macroflora allows inferring the characteristics of the environment in which the plants lived, highlighting halophytic, and temporarily arid conditions. Evidence as a whole, permits to interpret the depositional environment as an arid deltaic-littoral plain, temporarily covered with an ephemeral water layer associated with a stunted woody vegetation, in which terrestrial vertebrates walked by. Despite the low predictive power of the multivariate analysis, due to the various sources of morphological variability inherent to footprint formation, the PK23 footprints seem to better correspond to Dinosauria or Avialae as the most likely producers, rather than to Lepidosauria or Crocodylia, discarding the dinosaur Chilesaurus due to very low interdigital mediolateral rotation capabilities. • We studied a palaeobotanical and paleoichnological record exposed during the construction of a road leading to a copper mine. • Majala is the most likely bearing Formation. Its depositional environment is interpreted as an arid deltaic-littoral plain. • Different plant organs identified are all attributables to the Cheirolipidiaceae Family. • We performed multivaried analyses on an extensive tetradactyl footprint interdigital angle database. • We built a 3D kinematic model of Chilesaurus foot in order to compare it as a potential producer • PK23 footprintsbetter correspond to Dinosauria or Avialae as the most likely producer, but is distinct from Chilesauridae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Crato Konservat-Lagerstätte is one of the main Mesozoic fossil sites from Gondwana, recording a wide diversity of terrestrial and non-marine aquatic fossils of great paleobiological and evolutionary significance. This conservation deposit is recorded in a 9 m-thick interval of laminite, microbialite, and grainstone deposited in a lake system with variable water level, alternating moments of hypersaline and freshwater conditions. Despite numerous studies describing new species of plants, arthropods, fish, pterosaurs, birds, and many others, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of the most common and archetypal fossils, which are the rod-shaped macrofossils found on bedding surfaces in distinct stratigraphic intervals of the Crato Konservat-Lagerstätte. The rod-shaped macrofossils are up to 1.6 cm-long and 0.1 cm-wide, straight to curved compressions that preserve pyritized microfossils. Here we interpret the rod-shaped macrofossils as macroscopic organic aggregates that sank into the lakebed in a process called lake snow. During high organic productivity periods in the epilimnion, planktonic organisms thrived and produced exopolymers responsible for aggregation. Their concentrations in the limestone bedding planes reflect intensity of lake snow and environmental seasonality. Aggregates are prolate particles that are commonly oriented, suggesting their transport as bedload for short distances, which was facilitated by biostabilization by microbes and their exopolymers. Finally, pyritization was mediated by microbial communities living in the lakebed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lagerpetids, traditionally considered precursors to dinosaurs, have recently been hypothesized as being the sister group to Pterosauria, providing clues on the dawn of the flying reptiles from the Mesozoic Era. Here, we describe new lagerpetid specimens from the Upper Triassic of southern Brazil, specifically from the upper Santa Maria Formation, lower Candelária Sequence (Carnian). The new specimens contribute to our understanding of the early evolution and anatomical diversity of pterosauromorphs, shedding light on the ecological and community dynamics during this crucial period. The hindlimb anatomy, particularly of the femur, provides necessary data regarding the understanding of lagerpetid diversity, because this is the only element preserved across all lagerpetid taxa. Phylogenetic analyses and anatomical traits place the new specimens within Lagerpetidae, revealing two possible novel morphotypes coexisting with a third distinct lagerpetid morphotype. The sympatric occurrences of lagerpetids in the Upper Triassic of southern Brazil add to our understanding of pterosauromorph ecology in the Late Triassic and represents one of the few cases of lagerpetid sympatry worldwide, especially in Carnian beds. • Two new lagerpetid specimens are presented and described. • The new specimens represent putative new morphotypes. • The specimens come from a classic Late Triassic (Carnian) site from southern Brazil. • This find represents one of the few records of sympatry among lagerpetids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterosaurs are powered flight vertebrates that first emerged in the Late Triassic and persisted until the end of the Cretaceous. Recent studies on the ecological niches and habitats of pterosaurs, based on discoveries of Cretaceous bone beds in China, Brazil, Morocco, and other locations, suggest a decline in pterosaur diversity during the mid-Cretaceous. Various hypotheses have been proposed to interpret this phenomenon. This study focuses on newly discovered pterosaur tracks at the Upper Cretaceous (Truonian) Hwasun Seoyuri tracksite in Korea. The analysis is based on pterosaur tracks from in situ and ex situ specimens that originate from a variety of stratigraphic levels. The evidence found suggests that the Hwasun Seoyuri tracksite was occupied by small pterosaurs over an extended period, with indications of recurrent activity across at least six levels. Furthermore, the footprint sizes observed across these multiple layers follow a non-skewed normal distribution. Considering the known logarithmic growth characteristics of pterosaurs, this result suggests a predominantly immature population at this site. The prevalence of mid-Cretaceous non-marine pterosaur tracksites on the Korean Peninsula may reflect broader ecological shifts for pterosaurs during this period. This evidence is considered alongside the habitat shifts suggested by other non-marine pterosaur fossil sites in China and Brazil, as well as with indications of the decline in Late Cretaceous non-marine basins. • New pterosaur tracks were found in the Late Cretaceous of Hwasun Seoyuri in Korea. • The trackmaker may be young or small azhdarchid or unknown taxa. • The track size distribution suggests immature pterosaur gregariousness. • The decrease in late Cretaceous pterosaurs could be linked to habitat shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterosaurs were the first powered flying vertebrates, with a fossil record that stretches back to about 230 million years before present. Most species are only known from one to three specimens, which are most often fragmentary. However, Rhamphorhynchus muensteri is known from numerous excellent specimens, including multiple specimens with soft tissue preservation. As such, Rhamphorhynchus muensteri is one of the only pterosaurs amenable to analysis for intraspecific variation. It has been previously predicted that elements directly involved in the flight apparatus, such as those of the forelimb, will be more highly constrained in their proportions than other parts of the skeleton. We investigated the degree of variation seen in elements and body parts of Rhamphorhynchus, which represents the best model system among pterosaurs for testing these expectations of intraspecific variation. We recover evidence for high levels of constraint throughout the appendicular and axial elements (head, neck, torso, tail, forelimbs, hindlimbs), suggesting that all were important for flight. We further find that tail variation increases among the largest specimens, suggesting reduced constraint and/or stronger sexual selection on the tail in more mature individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarabaeoid beetle Mesoceratocanthus from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation was originally placed in the extant tribe Ivieolini (Hybosoridae). Our re-examination of the holotype and a new specimen demonstrates that Mesoceratocanthus does not possess the diagnostic characters of Ivieolini or Hybosoridae. Instead, it should be assigned to the passaloid lineage (Passalopalpidae + Passalidae) and appears closely related to the extinct family Passalopalpidae. The revised placement of Mesoceratocanthus further extends the earliest occurrence of the passaloid clade (~125 Ma, Barremian to early Aptian). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe fossil liverworts, mosses, and thallose forms of unknown affinity from the Barreal and Cortaderita formations (Sorocayense Group, Middle Triassic) in the Barreal depocenter, southwestern San Juan Province. The specimens are impressions-compressions of gametophytes and sporophytes, preserved in claystones, siltstones, and tuffaceous and bentonitic silty sandstones. The thallose forms consist of dichotomous simple thalli lacking evidence of a midrib and are assigned to the genus Thallites. Within the liverworts, we identified a new genus and two new species. Ricciellites unsaltoensis gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by thalli forming partial rosettes with distinct midrib, polygonal cells, air pores surrounded by a ring of cells, enclosed sporophytes, and ventral scales arranged in two rows. Ricciopsis cortaderitaensis sp. nov. has thalli forming rosettes, with distinct midrib, polygonal cells, and rhizoids. We also describe two types of acrocarpous mosses assignable to the genus Muscites. They are characterized by delicate unbranched axes with lanceolate unicostate leaves. Muscites sp. 1 is represented by several specimens arranged in a loose cushion, while Muscites sp. 2 corresponds to isolated specimens. Together, these fossils represent the first unequivocal evidence of mosses and liverworts for the Middle Triassic of Argentina. Given the scarcity of bryophyte megafossils of Triassic age worldwide (31 worldwide, three confirmed records for Argentina), these findings add significantly to the bryophyte fossil record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faxinalipterus minimus was originally described as a purported pterosaur from the Late Triassic (early Norian) Caturrita Formation of southern Brazil. Its holotype comprises fragmentary postcranial elements, whereas a partial maxilla was referred to the species. The assignment of Faxinalipterus minimus to Pterosauria has been questioned by some studies, but the specimen has never been accessed in detail after its original description. Here we provide a reassessment of Faxinalipterus minimus after additional mechanical preparation of the holotype. Our interpretations on the identity of several bones differ from those of the original description, and we found no support favoring pterosaur affinities for the taxon. The maxilla previously referred to Faxinalipterus minimus is disassociated from this taxon and referred to a new putative pterosauromorph described here from a partial skull and fragmentary postcranial elements. Maehary bonapartei gen. et sp. nov. comes from the same fossiliferous site that yielded Faxinalipterus minimus, but the lack of overlapping bones hampers comparisons between the two taxa. Our phylogenetic analysis places Faxinalipterus minimus within Lagerpetidae and Maehary bonapartei gen. et sp. nov. as the earliest-diverging member of Pterosauromorpha. Furthermore, the peculiar morphology of the new taxon reveals a new dental morphotype for archosaurs, characterized by conical, unserrated crowns, with a pair of apicobasally oriented grooves. These two enigmatic archosaurs expand our knowledge on the Caturrita Formation fauna and reinforce the importance of its beds on the understanding of Late Triassic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterosaurs thrived in and around water for 160 + million years but their take-off from water is poorly understood. A purportedly low floating position and forward centre of gravity barred pterosaurs from a bird-like bipedal running launch. Quadrupedal water launch similar to extant water-feeding birds and bats has been proposed for the largest pterosaurs, such as Anhanguera and Quetzalcoatlus. However, quadrupedal water launch has never been demonstrated in smaller pterosaurs, including those living around the Tethys Sea in the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Lagoon. Using Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence, we singled out aurorazhdarchid specimen MB.R.3531 that alone preserved specific soft tissues among more than a dozen well-preserved Solnhofen pterosaur specimens. These soft tissues pertain to primary propulsive contact surfaces needed for quadrupedal water launch (pedal webbing and soft tissues from an articulated forelimb) that permit robust calculations of its dynamic feasibility without the need to make assumptions about contact areas. A first-principles-based dynamics model of MB.R.3531 reveals that quadrupedal water launch was theoretically feasible and that webbed feet significantly impacted launch performance. Three key factors limiting water launch performance in all pterosaurs are identified, providing a foundation for understanding water launch evolution: available propulsive contact area, forelimb extension range and forelimb extension power about the shoulder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last (IX) cervical vertebra from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) coastal marine deposits of Izhberda Quarry near the town of Orsk (Orenburg oblast) belonged to a large pterosaur with an estimated wingspan of 5.6 m. This vertebra is most similar to the IX cervical vertebra of a giant pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus sp. from the Maastrichtian of the United States in the relatively long centrum and the large hypapophysis and identified as Azhdarchidae indet. This finding is the first evidence of the existence of giant Azhdarchidae pterosaurs on the territory of Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about the pterosaur diet and digestive system is limited, and there is little direct evidence in the fossil record. Here, we report two specimens of the wukongopterid Kunpengopterus sinensis, a juvenile and an adult, from the Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota of China with associated bromalites. Both of these concentrations are identified as emetolites, fossilized gastric pellets. These pellets contain scales of an unnamed palaeonisciform fish, confirming the pterosaur was a piscivore. It probably vomited the pellets, indicating the presence of two-part stomachs and efficient antiperistalsis in both juveniles and adults. Comparing the ganoid scales found in the pellets with those of complete fishes, it was possible to determine that the prey of the smaller pellet is an average-sized individual, while the prey of the larger pellet represents a large specimen. Kunpengopterus sinensis might have preyed on the same fish during ontogeny, with adults being able to feed on larger individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anurognathids are peculiar pterosaurs characterized by broad skulls with very short rostra and broadly arched jaws. The presence of distinct or confluent external naris and antorbital fenestra in these pterosaurs has been debated in the last years. The relatively well-preserved specimens of Batrachognathus volans show that the antorbital fenestra was confluent with the orbit forming an enormous orbitoantorbital fenestra. This feature is evident also in Jeholopterus ningchengensis. The consequent modification of the matrices of two recently published phylogenetic analyses about the in-group pterosaur relationships shows that the Anurognathidae are a derived clade of non-monofenestratan pterosaurs. Anurognathidae (including also 'Dimorphodon' weintraubi according to the definition by Hone 2020) are still a scarcely known clade because only a few specimens have been adequately described in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight. The timing of their origin is still debated, and hypotheses range from the end of the Permian Period, to the lower Mesozoic Era, and through to the Middle–Late Triassic epochs. Regardless of when they originated, the oldest records are restricted to the Upper Triassic Norian Stage in the northern hemisphere (Europe, USA and Greenland). We report two new raeticodactylid pterosaurs, Yelaphomte praderioi gen. et sp. nov. and Pachagnathus benitoi gen. et sp. nov. from the upper Norian to Rhaetian Quebrada del Barro Formation in north‐western Argentina. The new specimens (an isolated dentary symphysis, partial rostrum, and distal half of ulna) are the first unequivocal Triassic records of pterosaurs in the southern hemisphere, confirming that the absence of pterosaurs outside north‐western Pangaea during the Late Triassic was the result of poor sampling rather than true absence. These new discoveries provide evidence of a greater diversity of pterosaurs living in terrestrial habitats and a wider global distribution of pterosaurs from the beginning of their evolution on Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anhanguerids are a particular group of pterodactyloid pterosaurs, characterized mainly by their rostral sagittal crests, well laterally expanded jaw tips and enlarged anterior teeth. Due to the fragmentary nature of most known specimens, including holotypes, the taxonomy of the group has proved particularly difficult and controversial. Coloborhynchinae is a recently proposed clade within the Anhangueridae, and was defined as the most inclusive clade containing Coloborhynchus clavirostris but not Anhanguera or Ludodactylus. Coloborhynchinae was originally thought to include Coloborhynchus, Uktenadactylus, and Siroccopteryx. Here we present a reassessment of the taxonomy and phylogeny of all proposed members of the Coloborhynchinae and Coloborhynchus complex, with new anatomical comparisons and a novel phylogenetic analysis. Several features allow us to establish that coloborhynchines were much more diverse than previously thought, englobing four genera and seven species: Aerodraco sedgwickii gen. et comb. nov., Coloborhynchus clavirostris, Nicorhynchus capito gen. et comb. nov., Nicorhynchus fluviferox gen. et comb. nov., Uktenadactylus rodriguesae sp. nov., and Uktenadactylus wadleighi. Nicorhynchus and Uktenadactylus are considered sister taxa, being distinct on the basis of several rostral characters. Although with a homoplastic flat rostrum surface, Siroccopteryx was recovered out of the Coloborhynchinae, as sister taxon of Tropeognathus, due to similarities on the palatal ridge (which is broad and deep, and starting at the same level) and the relatively stout teeth compared to other anhanguerids. Tropeognathus and Siroccopteryx are further related to the Australian taxa Ferrodraco and Mythunga, which are all grouped in a new clade: the Tropeognathinae. Our analysis suggests that morphological evolution within anhanguerids was quite more complex than previously thought, with coloborhynchines representing the oldest recorded lineage of Anhangueridae, which achieved a worldwide distribution at least from the Aptian to the Cenomanian.

The Lower Cretaceous Lianmuxin Formation (upper Tugulu Group) of the southern Junggar Basin has yielded a vertebrate assemblage of relatively low diversity that is dominated by sinemydid turtles. The assemblage currently includes a single pterosaur taxon, the dsungaripterid Lonchognathosaurus, known from a partial cranium and a partial left wing. Here two additional pterosaur specimens are reported, a well-preserved right distal carpal and a nearly complete but slightly crushed right femur. The carpal almost certainly belongs to a dsungaripterid pterosaur, which is distinct from Lonchognathosaurus. The femur shows many similarities to dsungaripterid femora and is probably also assignable to a dsungaripterid, although it possesses unusually thin bone-walls for the group. Due to a lack of overlapping skeletal material, it cannot be compared to Lonchognathosaurus. These specimens shed new light on the diversity of pterosaurs in the poorly known Lower Cretaceous Lianmuxin Formation of the southern Junggar Basin, indicating that probably more than one dsungaripterid taxon was present in the local assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Khok Pha Suam locality in the province of Ubon Ratchathani, northeastern, Thailand, is known as "the last home of Thai dinosaurs", because it belongs to the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation (Aptian-Albian) which is currently the youngest Mesozoic vertebrate fossil producing formation in the Khorat Group. Here, we describe a diverse vertebrate assemblage, including hybodonts, ray-finned fishes, turtles, crocodyliforms, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs from the Khok Pha Suam locality. The updated data on the Khok Kruat fauna provides a better understanding of the variety and distribution of Early Cretaceous continental ecosystems, which are useful for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. In addition to consolidating unincorporated data on fauna, this study also provides the palaeontological data necessary to illustrate the palaeoecosystem to the general public, as well as improving the academic value of the Pha Chan-Sam Phan Bok Geopark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anhangueridae are a clade of toothed pterodactyloid pterosaurs, known from their characteristic anteriorly expanded premaxillae and conspicuous rostral sagittal premaxillary and dentary crests. Most known anhanguerids come from the Lower Cretaceous Romualdo Formation within the Araripe Basin of northeast Brazil. With four currently valid genera and several specimens referred to the clade, anhanguerids are the most abundant and diverse tetrapod group in the Romualdo Formation. However, some studies suggest this diversity may be overestimated, as many taxa have been diagnosed based on subtle differences in their premaxillary crests, a structure argued to be either ontogenetically variable or sexually dimorphic. Here we describe an anterior fragment of a gracile pterosaur rostrum that possesses the single diagnostic feature of Anhanguera (fifth and sixth pairs of dental alveoli smaller than the fourth and seventh), but lacks a sagittal crest. The affinities of the new fossil among other toothed pterosaurs were tested through both cladistic and geometric morphometric approaches, which allow referral of the new specimen to Anhanguera. The absence of a crest in the new specimen of Anhanguera suggests that this structure varies in terms of ontogeny and/or sex, and that perhaps it was influenced by sexual selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quetzalcoatlus is the largest flying organism ever known and one of the most familiar pterosaurs to the public. Despite a half century of interest, it remains very incompletely described. This shortfall is addressed here through a full morphological description of Quetzalcoatlus and the other pterosaur material of Big Bend National Park, Texas. The first reported material was described and named Quetzalcoatlus northropi by Douglas Lawson in 1975, but in two separate publications. A ruling by the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature was required for the name to be made available. Review of the pterosaur fauna of the Park recovers three valid species of azhdarchid pterosaurs in the latest Cretaceous Period Javelina and Black Peaks formations. The size and occurrence of these species are correlated with depositional environment. The holotype of the giant Quetzalcoatlus northropi and six other giant specimens referred to it occur in stream-channel deposits, including the youngest reported pterosaur. The vast majority of specimens (200+) are from large pterosaurs found in the abandoned channel-lake deposits at Pterodactyl Ridge; they form a diagnosable natural group erected as the new species Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni. A moderate-sized partial skull and cervical series also found in the abandoned channel-lake deposits at Pterodactyl Ridge, but lower in the section, is distinct from both species and is erected as Wellnhopterus brevirostris, gen. et sp. nov. Overbank flood-plain facies preserve another eleven specimens of extreme size variation, including small azhdarchids. The Big Bend pterosaur fauna provides the greatest known sample of azhdarchid pterosaurs and three-dimensional pterosaur morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Azhdarchidae have come to be known as the most diverse clade of Late Cretaceous pterosaurs and the largest flying creatures in existence. Since the erection of the taxon nearly four decades ago, many partial specimens have been referred to it from the Early Cretaceous and Late Jurassic, but none of these identifications can be confirmed. The most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis and taxonomy of Pterosauria is presented, and the evolutionary history of the Azhdarchidae is reviewed. As currently known, azhdarchids are restricted to the Late Cretaceous (Turonian–Maastrichtian). Fourteen species are currently included in the Azhdarchidae: Quetzalcoatlus northropi and Q. lawsoni are recovered as sister taxa in a monophyletic Quetzalcoatlus, with Arambourgiania philadelphiae, Hatzegopteryx thambema, a trichotomy with Cryodrakon boreas and Wellnhopterus brevirostris, Zhejiangopterus linhaiensis, Eurazhdarcho langendorfensis, a Phosphatodraco mauritanicus + Aralazhdarcho bostobensis sister group, as well as an Azhdarcho lancicollis + Albadraco tharmisensis + Aerotitan sudamericanus + Mistralazhdarcho maggii clade are recovered as successive outgroups to Quetzalcoatlus in the Azhdarchidae. The previous azhdarchid species Montanazhdarcho minor and Radiodactylus langstoni are recovered as non-azhdarchid azhdarchiforms; Alanqa saharica and Argentinadraco barrealensis are thalassodromines; Cretornis hlavaci and Volgadraco bogolubovi are pteranodontians; and Bakonydraco galaczi is a tapejarine. Up to a dozen pterosaur lineages persist into the latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian Age) including azhdarchids, pteranodontids, and nyctosauromorphs. In the Late Cretaceous, an ornithocheirid, cimoliopterids, a lonchodrachonid, a lonchodectid, pteranodontians, tapejarines, thalassodromines, a chaoyangopterine, and azhdarchiforms are present. The pterosaurs did not have a terminal decline in diversity and were increasing in species number at the end of the Cretaceous Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field crews from The University of Texas at Austin first identified pterosaur remains from the Upper Cretaceous Javelina Formation of Big Bend National Park in 1971 and continued excavation of these animals for decades. The announcement of the giant Quetzalcoatlus northropi in 1975 by graduate student Douglas Lawson drew worldwide attention, and fossil preparators William Amaral and Robert Rainey discovered several key localities in a region informally called Pterodactyl Ridge that have been thoroughly collected and documented. The Pterodactyl Ridge sites produced hundreds of bones from surface collection and quarries through 1986, but later surface collection yielded poorer results. The majority of these elements represent an animal substantially smaller than Q. northropi, Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni Andres and Langston, 2021—historically referred to as Quetzalcoatlus sp. These and subsequent field expeditions from several institutions have reported occurrences of pterosaurs from both the Aguja and Javelina formations, but this study limits only the Javelina Formation material to pterosaurs. Quetzalcoatlus northropi is known within Big Bend National Park only from stream channel facies, and the smaller Q. lawsoni from the upper abandoned channel-lake facies at Pterodactyl Ridge. The lower abandoned channel-lake facies strata of Pterodactyl Ridge produce a third genus and species, Wellnhopterus brevirostris Andres and Langston, 2021. In addition, a smaller azhdarchid is found in the overbank floodplain facies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maastrichtian Javelina Formation of southwestern Texas comprises a thick sequence of stream channel and floodplain deposits accumulated in a broad southeast-trending valley, several hundred kilometers inland from the Late Cretaceous shoreline. Three pterosaur species are found here. Remains of Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni, sp. nov., are concentrated in deposits of shallow alkaline lakes that developed in abandoned reaches of stream channels. Areas surrounding the lakes were vegetated with fan palms, and the higher floodplain supported a subtropical forest dominated by the dicot tree Javelinoxylon and araucariacean conifers. The shallow lakes were inhabited by a diverse invertebrate fauna of arthropods, gastropods, and bivalves, a likely food source for the slender-beaked Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni, sp. nov., which may have had a lifestyle similar to modern large gregarious wading birds. In contrast, remains of the giant Q. northropi are rare and found instead only in stream channel facies. It may have had a more solitary lifestyle and preferred riparian habitats. The warm, dry, subtropical but nonseasonal conditions of the region may represent a preferred climatic regime for azhdarchid pterosaurs generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: A new dsungaripterid pterosaur, Ordosipterus planignathus gen. et sp. nov., is established on the incomplete articulated lower jaws from the Lower Cretaceous Luohandong Formation in Otog Qi, Ordos Region, Inner Mongolia, China. It differs from other dsungaripterids mainly by having broad and low dentary at and just behind the mandibular symphysis, flat dentary dorsal plane forming the distinct lateral ridge with the curved dentary lateral side, and lower alveoli arranged along the dentary dorsolateral margin with wide spacing that increases from rostral to caudal. It represents the first diagnostic pterosaur from the Ordos Region in Inner Mongolia, and further enlarges the geographical distribution of the family Dsungaripteridae from northwestern China (together with western Mongolia) to central North China.

Abstract Amblydectes is a problematic genus proposed more than a century ago for several pterosaur specimens from the Cambridge Greensand. Its problematic nature is due to the fragmentary preservation of the referred specimens, limited to several rostral tips. In the present work is reassessed the validity of Amblydectes crassidens based on new anatomical comparisons and phylogenetic analysis, as well as the description of a new specimen. The results of this work confirm the validity of the species as belonging to the clade Tropeognathinae, a recently proposed group of robust anhanguerids which have only been known so far from Gondwanan landmasses. Amblydectes is proposed as a monospecific genus, whilst one the former attributed species is assigned to a new genus, Draigwenia, which is proposed as a non-anhanguerian lanceodontian taxon of uncertain placement. The presence of a tropeognathine anhanguerid in the Cambridge Greensand suggests that anhanguerid diversity was really complex both locally and globally.

A distal fragment of the wing metacarpal of a pterosaur from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) deposits of the Orenburg Oblast has been identified as Azhdarchidae indet. based on the following combination of characters: absence of a large pneumatic foramen on the posterior side proximal to the ventral condyle; an asymmetrical groove between the condyles, a ridge on the ventral side of the ventral condyle, and a significant posterior bend of the distal epiphysis and adjacent part of the diaphysis. This is the first pterosaur recorded from the Late Cretaceous of the Southern Urals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pterosaur fossil record in Portugal is scarce, comprising mainly isolated teeth and rare postcranial material. Here, we describe a well-preserved right proximal femur of a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Kimmeridgian, Upper Jurassic Praia da Amoreira-Porto Novo Formation of Peniche, Portugal. It is noteworthy for its relatively large size, compared to other Jurassic pterosaurs. It shows affinities with dsungaripteroids based on a combination of features including the bowing of the shaft, the mushroom-like cap of the femoral head, and the distinctly elevated greater trochanter. The femur has a relatively thinner bone wall compared to dsungaripterids, and is more similar to basal dsungaripteroids. A histological analysis of the bone cortex shows it had reached skeletal maturity. The preserved last growth period indicates fast, uninterrupted growth continued until the final asymptotic size was reached, a growth pattern which could best be compared to pterodactyloid femora from the Early Cretaceous. The specimen is the second confirmed report of a dsungaripteroid from the Jurassic, and it is the first record of this group from the Iberian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reconstruction of jaw muscles is critical in establishing potential cranial functions; however, myological studies of extinct groups that have no descendants are difficult to perform and test. This is particularly true for pterosaurs, a group of extinct flying reptiles that present a plethora of cranial morphologies, suggesting different functions and feeding habits. Here we present a first attempt to reconstruct the adductor musculature of the pterodactyloid skull in detail, using osteological correlates and the extant phylogenetic bracketing method. Using these reconstructions, we estimate bite force for nine selected species and investigate implications for potential dietary habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tapejarinae are edentulous pterosaurs that are relatively common in Cretaceous continental deposits in South America, North Africa, Europe, and China (mostly Early Cretaceous). The Chinese Jiufotang Formation is particularly rich in tapejarine specimens, having yielded over 10 described specimens and dozens of undescribed ones. For the Jiufotang Formation, a total of seven nominal tapejarid species and two genera have been proposed. Some debate exists over how many of those are valid or, alternatively, sexual or ontogenetic morphs of fewer (or even a single) species. Despite the abundance of specimens and the relevant taxonomic problems involved, detailed revisions of the matter are still lacking. This is partly due to the relatively scarce knowledge on the comparative osteology of the Sinopterus complex, which is hampered by the fact that most specimens have been only preliminarily described. In this contribution, we present a new postcranial specimen, D3072, which we attribute to the type-species of the genus, Sinopterus dongi. This new specimen helps shed some new light in the osteology of Sinopterus dongi, hopefully serving as a basis for future comparative studies involving further specimens and other proposed species and, subsequently, taxonomic revisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]