A New Boreopterid Pterodactyloid Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, Northeastern China

<正>A new boreopterid pterosaur:Zhenyuanopterus longirostris gen.et sp.nov.from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning is erected,based on the complete skeleton with a skull and lower jaws preserved.It is characterized by:a large boreopterid pterosaur with a high number of teeth,where the anterior teeth are much larger than posterior ones;the length of the dorsal + sacral vertebrae is nearly half the length of the skull;ratio of the length of the humerus to metacarpal IV is approximately 91%and the,humerus,femur and third wing phalanx are all equal in length and the feet are specially small.It represents the largest boroepterid pterosaur discovered from western Liaoning and its surrounding areas so far     

甘肃永靖盐锅峡早白垩世翼龙足迹的发现及意义

甘肃永靖盐锅峡恐龙足迹1号化石点中保存有翼龙足迹, 该足迹是我国翼龙足迹的首次发现.翼龙足迹为四足行走, 行迹宽.前脚为不对称三趾型, 趾行式, 其中Ⅱ趾最短, Ⅳ趾最长, 足迹外偏, 偏角大, Ⅳ趾与行迹交角为160°~ 180°.后脚外形为近长方形, 四趾型, Ⅱ、Ⅲ趾较Ⅰ、Ⅳ趾长, 行式, 脚长为宽的3倍, 足迹外偏, 偏角30°.足迹特征表明该翼龙足迹属于一新种.沉积特征表明翼龙足迹产于湖岸环境.      

Largest Toothed Pterosaur Skull from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Western Liaoning,China, with Comments on the Family Boreopteridae

A new pterosaur Moganopterus zhuiana gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on a complete skull with lower jaws and anterior cervical vertebrae. It is characterized by much elongated upper and lower jaws with at least 62 total, long, curved teeth with sharp tips, a well developed parietal crest extending posterodorsally, forming an angle of 15 degrees with the ventral margin of the skull, the ratio of length to width of cervical vertebrae greater than 5:1. The skull length is 750 mm, and it is the largest toothed pterosaur found so far in the world. Based on this new pterosaur, the Boreopteridae can be divided into two subgroups: Boreopterinae sub-fam. nov. and Moganopterinae sub-fam. nov., which is also confirmed by the phylogenetic analysis.     

A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Lebanon

A new pterosaur, Microtuban altivolans gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Sannine Formation of northern Lebanon. The specimen is the first pterosaur from the Early Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) locality of Hjoûla and is regarded as the most complete pterosaur fossil discovered from Africa. While postcranial characters indicate a possible relationship with members of the Thalassodromidae or Chaoyangopteridae, the specimen possesses an exceptionally short wing-finger phalanx 4, forming only 1.1% of the total length of the wing-finger. Its appearance along with an unnamed ornithocheiroid from the slightly younger locality of Hâqel suggests that a number of pterosaur taxa existed within the local area, perhaps living on exposed carbonate platforms.     

Distinctive azhdarchoid pterosaur jaws from the mid-Cretaceous Cambridge Greensand of eastern England and the Kem Kem Group of Morocco

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.     

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 late Jurassic pterosaur (Reptilia, Pterodactyloidea) from northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

A small to medium-sized pterodactyloid pterosaur (wingspan approximately 1.10 m) from the Upper Jurassic (middle-late Tithonian) marine deposits of the Vaca Muerta Formation of Patagonia (Los Catutos area, central Neuquén Province, Argentina) is reported. The specimen lacks the skull but constitutes a nearly complete postcranial skeleton, which includes cervical and dorsal vertebrae; a few thoracic ribs; both pectoral girdles; the left pelvic girdle; a proximal right wing (humerus, ulna, and radius) and metacarpal IV; a left wing that lacks only wing phalanx four; and both hindlimbs, the right one without the foot. Ontogenetic features suggest that the new fossil corresponds to a relatively mature individual, probably a subadult. Observed characters support its assignment to the Archaeopteroactyloidea, a basal clade within the Pterodactyloidea. This specimen is the second pterosaur from Los Catutos and the most complete Jurassic pterosaur so far known from South America.     

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.     

浙江省东阳晚白垩世早期新的翼龙足迹

本文报道了浙江东阳发现的中国第2个翼龙足迹化石点, 也是亚洲发现的第8个翼龙足迹化石点。化石足迹产于晚白垩世早期方岩组的紫红色泥质粉砂岩中。发现有3个手的印迹和1个右足印。手的印迹的长宽分别为6.5 cm 和4cm. 非对称具有3个指的印迹。足迹9 cm长和1.5 cm宽。该足迹不同于以前发现的, 可能代表一新的类型。除了翼龙足迹外, 还发现鸟类、小型兽脚类、鸟脚类及蜥脚类脚印, 形成一个丰富的动物群, 它的发现为研究该地区的古生态环境及古地理具有重要意义。同时为以后在该地区发现这些造迹动物的骨骼化石提供了重要依据。     

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.     

Did William Smith (1769–1839), the father of biostratigraphy,discover a Jurassic pterosaur tooth?

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.     

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 Ornithocheirid from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China

Based on a nearly complete skeleton with skull from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ornithocheirid pterosaur: Boreopterus cuiae gen. et sp. nov. is erected. Boreopterus cuiae is different from other pterosaurs preserved with skulls known from the western Liaoning Province and its neighboring areas. Tiffs new oterosaur has more and larger teeth than those in other ornithocheirids. Its anterior nine pairs of teeth are larger than other teeth. The fourth pair of upper and lower teeth are slightly larger than the third pair. Overall, Boreopterus cuiae shows much small range of tooth size variation than Anhanguerapiscator and Coloborhynchus robustus. The new taxon shares with other ornithocherids in having a relatively large size of the third and fourth pairs of teeth.     

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 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.     

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.     

内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区早白垩世新的翼龙类化石

发现于内蒙古鄂托克旗召稍早白垩世罗汉洞组的一件不完整翼龙类下颌标本,以下颌愈合部长且平直、齿骨侧嵴发育、近圆形齿窝沿侧嵴之上的齿骨侧面上半部分自前向后呈直线排列、齿窝直径(2~2.5 mm)前后变化较小、相邻齿窝的间距约为齿窝直径的一半、下颌牙齿密度为3枚/cm等特征,可归入梳颌翼龙科(Ctenochasmatidae),且代表一新属种——郝氏鄂托克翼龙Otogopterus haoae gen.et sp.nov.。该化石是继鄂托克旗新召准噶尔翼龙科的平颌鄂尔多斯翼龙Ordosipterus planignathus之后在内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区发现的第2件确切翼龙类材料,丰富了这一地区早白垩世脊椎动物群的组成。该翼龙也是继甘肃庆阳环河翼龙Huanhepterus quingyangensis之后在鄂尔多斯盆地发现的第2种梳颌翼龙科化石,进一步扩大了鄂尔多斯盆地梳颌翼龙科的地理分布范围,同时表明鄂尔多斯盆地是继辽宁西部之后梳颌翼龙科在中国的又一重要分布区。