A Baby Pterodactyloid Pterosaur from the Yixian Formation of Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, China

A new baby pterodactyloid pterosaur with soft tissue preserved.Ningchengop terus liuae gen. et sp.nov.,is erected based on a nearly complete skeleton with a skull.It was characterized by the skull, slightly longer than the combined length of the dorsal and sacral vertebrae;50 teeth(including upper and lower jaws);short mid-cervical vertebrae;the humerus and the scapula, equal to that of the wing metacarpal in length;the ulna and the femur, equal to that of the first and third wing phalanx in length, respectively.The similar ratio of the wing phalanx 2 to wing phalanx 1 of Ningchengopterus and Eosipterus implies that Ningchengopterus may be close to the ctenochasmatid pterosaur.However, it may also imply that the isometrically growing of the first two wing phalanges exists among some pterosaurs.     

A New Rhamphorhynchid Pterosaur (Pterosauria) from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Western Liaoning, China

A new Sordes-like pterosaur Jianchangopterus zhaoianus gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on a almost complete skeleton with skull preserved. It is characterized by the following characters: seven and six pairs of upper jaw and lower jaw teeth respectively; the development of a recess on maxilla; the evenness of the dental margin in lateral view; a distinct central ridge along dorsal surface of the mandibular symphysis; wing phalanx 4 with strongly curved shaft approximately 96% the length of the wing phalanx 1. The discovery of a Sordes-like pterosaur Jianchangopterus, and other taxa from the same formation indicates that pterosaurs reached great diversities during the Middle to Upper Jurassic period.     

A Baby Pterodactyloid Pterosaur from the Yixian Formation of Ningcheng,Inner Mongolia,China

A new baby pterodactyloid pterosaur with soft tissue preserved, Ningchengopterus liuae gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on a nearly complete skeleton with a skull. It was characterized by the skull, slightly longer than the combined length of the dorsal and sacral vertebrae; 50 teeth (including upper and lower jaws); short mid-cervical vertebrae; the humerus and the scapula, equal to that of the wing metacarpal in length; the ulna and the femur, equal to that of the first and third wing phalanx in length, respectively. The similar ratio of the wing phalanx 2 to wing phalanx 1 of Ningchengopterus and Eosipterus implies that Ningchengopterus may be close to the ctenochasmatid pterosaur. However, it may also imply that the isometrically growing of the first two wing phalanges exists among some pterosaurs.     

A possible azhdarchid pterosaur from the Crato Formation (Early Cretaceous,Aptian) of northeast Brazil

The partially articulated, distal portion of a left wing finger of a pterosaur from the Crato Formation of northeast Brazil has a T-shaped cross-section to the second and third phalanges. This cross-sectional shape is one of several characters diagnostic of the pterodactyloid pterosaur family Azhdarchidae (Unwin & Lu 1997). Until now, this family of pterosaurs was known exclusively from the Late Cretaceous. The specimen described here may be the first recorded azhdarchid from the southern hemisphere and the earliest recorded member of the family.     

达尔文翼龙的发现及其意义

达尔文翼龙为中等大小的翼龙类, 发现于辽西辽宁省建昌县玲珑塔中侏罗世髫髻山组, 是目前已知唯一由原始类群(非翼手龙类)向进步类群(翼手龙类)演化的过渡类型。它既具有原始类群的特征: 比如尾长, 多于20节尾椎椎体, 且尾椎椎体由极度加长的、纤细的前后关节突及脉弧所包裹, 构成一僵硬的尾部, 第五脚趾具有两个长的趾节; 又具有进步类群的特征: 比如头骨加长, 鼻孔和眶前孔愈合为一大的鼻眶前孔, 颈椎椎体长, 没有或者颈肋退化; 翼掌骨与肱骨的比率介于原始类群和进步类群之间。达尔文翼龙的发现具有重要意义, 它填补了由原始翼龙类向进步翼龙类演化的空白, 为生物宏观演化(模块演化)机制-即组成生物体的模块在短时间内共同演化提供例证。从达尔文翼龙的骨骼结构变化上看, 空中丰富的食物来源(比如飞行能力差的、带羽毛的恐龙、滑翔的哺乳动物、小的翼龙及昆虫等), 可能为导致翼龙头骨和颈部首先演化的原因之一。达尔文翼龙的发现, 有可能打破对翼龙类传统分为两大类的方法。     

The Early Evolutionary History and Adaptive Radiation of the Pterosauria

Phylogenetic analyses of early pterosaur species are relatively new and contradictory. However, they imply a similar evolutionary history for early pterosaurs: a large divergence of all major early groups of pterosaurs before the first named pterosaur species appeared in the fossil record. This large, unsampled divergence may be a record of the initial adaptive radiation of the pterosaurs, but a recent comprehensive phylogenetic analysis reconstructs named Triassic pterosaur species grouped together in a monophyletic clade with all other major groups diverging later. Ten patterns that characterize adaptive radiations put forward by Gavrilets and Losos (2009) are assessed for congruence with the comprehensive phylogeny and two previous phylogenies to determine which are consistent with our notions of an adaptive radiation. Of the eight patterns that can be applied to pterosaurs, only six vary between pterosaur phylogenies. Of these six patterns, all apply to the three phylogenies with varying amounts of support. For many patterns, however, the comprehensive phylogeny has a greater magnitude, shorter time span, or is the only topology within which they can be assessed. Pterosaurs are characterized by an adaptive radiation no matter which phylogeny is considered, but congruence with the fossil record increases the support and information content of a phylogeny by reducing the time and area within which to reconstruct evolutionary history.     

A New Chinese Anurognathid Pterosaur and the Evolution of Pterosaurian Tail Lengths

A new anurognathid pterosaur specimen from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Qinglong, northern Hebie Province is described. The new specimen is referred to Dendrorhynchoides, based on the general morphology of the skeleton, but it represents a new species, named here as Dendrorhynchoides mutoudengensis sp. nov.. It is characterized by the presence of short, robust and straight teeth, and bearing wing metacarpal approximately 40% of the length of humerus. The new specimen provides further osteological information for anurognathid pterosaurs, especially the presence of a relatively elongate tail.     

辽宁西部一新的帆翼龙类化石

根据发现于辽西朝阳九佛堂组一具有部分头骨的不完整骨架,命名一新的帆翼龙--赵氏龙城翼龙(新属新种).头骨和牙齿形态显示龙城翼龙与宽齿帆翼龙的关系要比与其他翼龙的关系密切,龙城翼龙是目前辽西九佛堂组中发现的唯一的帆翼龙类.帆翼龙科原仅一属种,发现于英国早白垩世地层中,辽西早白垩世新帆翼龙的发现,不但扩大了其地理分布,也证明辽西是晚侏罗世至早白垩世翼龙辐射、分异的重要地区.这对研究翼龙的起源和演化有重要意义.     

辽宁西部早白垩世朝阳翼龙科 (Chaoyangopteridae)化石一新种

中国辽宁西部早白垩世翼龙类化石非常丰富,其上部的九佛堂组翼龙类组合以含有丰富的无齿的古神翼龙科、朝阳翼龙科等进步类型而与下部的义县组翼龙类组合相区别。本文描述了辽宁西部建昌盆地九佛堂组一新的大型翼龙类化石,其以上下颌无齿、吻端指数为3.7、前颌骨背支细长且封闭鼻眶前孔背缘、很大的鼻眶前孔后端超过上下颌关节位置、轭骨的上颌骨突基部宽大而应被归入朝阳翼龙科(Chaoyangopteridae)神州翼龙属(Shenzhoupterus)。其以较大的体形(翼展2.05 m)、平直的上下颌咬合面、轭骨的眶后骨突较泪骨突长且基部略宽、第4～7颈椎长度依次减小等特征,区别于朝阳神州翼龙(Shenzhoupterus chaoyangensis),而被命名为三亚神州翼龙(新种)(Shenzhoupterus sanyainus sp. nov.)。这是辽宁西部早白垩世翼展最大且不具牙齿的翼龙类属种,它的发现丰富了九佛堂组翼龙类组合内容,对认识朝阳翼龙科的骨骼形态与生态习性亦具有积极意义。     

中国翼龙化石记录综述

本文回顾了中国翼龙化石的发现和研究。特别是最近几年在辽宁省西部及其周边地区发现的大量的翼龙化石,使该地区成为世界上最著名的翼龙化石产地之一,尤其是对研究陆相沉积中的翼龙,物种分异和古生物学的重要性可以与德国的Solnhofen Limestone和巴西的Santana Formation 相媲美。目前中国发现有隶属12个科的34个属的翼龙。既包括原始的喙嘴龙类,进步的翼手龙类,也包括处于两者之间的过渡类型-达尔文翼龙类以及胚胎蛋化石。     

A New Ctenochasmatid Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province

Based on a nearly complete lower jaw from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ctenochasmatid pterosaur: Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen, et sp. nov. is erected. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is different from any known pterosaurs with skulls preserved from western Liaoning Province and its peripheral areas in that the anterior part of the mandibular symphysis is expanded, being widest between the fourth alveolus of each side. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is assigned to Ctenochasmatidae based on the following characters: the rounded anterior end of the lower jaw is spatulated and dorsoventrally flattened and marked heterodonty in the dentition is absent. It differs from other ctenochasmatid pterosaurs in having relatively small number of teeth. Liaoxipterus is distinguished from some ornithocheirids, which have expanded anterior parts of the mandibular symphyses, such as Anhanguera piscator,Coloborhynchus robustus in which the teeth of the new pterosaur are not as variable.     

Discovery of the largest pterosaur from South America

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.     

The first evidence of a Campylognathoides—like pterosaur in the Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) Whitby Mudstone Formation of Lincolnshire,England

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.     

A long-necked pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea,Azhdarchidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Valencia,Spain

Fragmentary remains, including cervical vertebrae and limb bones, of a large pterosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Tous, province of Valencia (Spain), are described. The material was recovered from lacustrine beds in the upper part of the Calizas y Margas de Sierra Perenchiza Formation, which is probably Maastrichtian in age. Six fragments of vertebrae allow a reconstruction of the anatomy of the mid-series cervicals of the animal. The general morphology of the cervical vertebrae is closely similar to that of the long-necked Azhdarchidae. Compared to other azhdarchids, the Valencia pterosaur shows minor differences from the genera Azhdarcho and Quetzalcoatlus, and is here provisionally referred to as Azhdarchidae indet. A wingspan of about 5.5 m is calculated by comparison with other known azhdarchids. This is the second azhdarchid pterosaur described from the Iberian peninsula. It confirms the wide distribution of this group of large pterosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous.     

基于碳、氧同位素分析的翼龙类生态学

Since their discovery, pterosaurs have prompted much discussion about their ecology and feeding habits. Most pterosaur specimens are known from marine deposits (Kellner, 2003), though this may represent a bias towards preservation rather than necessarily a habitat choice. Recent discoveries of terrestrial deposits (e.g. the Yixian Formation) have also yielded numerous pterosaurs and our knowledge of their diversity has increased dramatically in recent years.     

中国辽西中侏罗世地层发现船颌翼龙新属新种

根据不完整的化石骨架, 建立船颌翼龙一新属新种: 李氏凤凰翼龙。它产自辽西中侏罗世的髫髻山组。具有以下特征: 上颌有11对以上牙齿, 最后一枚牙齿位置靠后, 位于眶前孔后下角的下方。翼掌骨长度大约为肱骨的55%。凤凰翼龙的发现不但增加了船颌翼龙的新成员, 而且对船颌翼龙的古地理分布提供了重要信息。它代表目前为止最早的船颌翼龙类。为我们了解船颌翼龙的起源和演化具有重要意义。     

翼龙翅膀的空气动力学

The wing of a pterosaur is unique in many ways, not least in its basic morphology, comprising a single supporting structure along the anterior edge of a flexible membrane lifting surface. No other flying vertebrate has adopted this morphology and there are no direct analogues in mechanical aerodynamics, the closest being sailboat mainsails.     

翼龙类翼膜的折叠，褶皱以及物质特性

Preservation of wing membranes in pterosaurs is only reported from a few localities in the world, namely from the Karatau Hills, Kazakhstan (Upper Jurassic), from the Solnhofen Lithographic Limestone, Germany (Upper Jurassic), the Daohugou Beds of China (Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous) and the Crato and Santana Formations, Chapada do Araraipe, NE Brazil (Lower Cretaceous).     

A new ctenochasmatoid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning,China

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.