A New Juvenile Scaphognathus crassirostris Specimen From Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone Lagerstätte

A new specimen of the pterosaur Scaphognathus crassirostris, with comments on constraint of cervical vertebrae number in pterosaurs

Author:

Bennett

Abstract:

A new complete and fully articulated juvenile specimen of the rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur Scaphognathus crassirostris from the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone of southern Germany is only the third known specimen of the species. The specimen is described and compared to the other two specimens. Based on the comparisons, the skull of Scaphognathus is reinterpreted as having two premaxillary, six maxillary, and five dentary teeth per jaw side, and a broad boat-shaped snout. Scaphognathus is compared to Jianchangnathus robustus, and revised diagnoses of the genus and family are presented. In addition, the position of the cervico-dorsal transition in the vertebral column of pterosaurs is reviewed, and an apparent constraint to nine cervical vertebrae is noted.