Oldest Record of Azhdarchid Pterosaurs in Africa From Kimmeridgian/Tithonian Jurassic Tanzania

New pterosaur material from the Upper Jurassic of Tendaguru (Tanzania), Africa

Authors:

Costa et al

Abstract:

The pterosaur fossil record from Africa is exceedingly scarce and one of the least known for any continental land mass. The specimens here described are housed at the Naturkundemuseum of the Humboldt University and consist of two cervical vertebrae, a coracoid and a wing metacarpal recovered from the Upper Jurassic Tendaguru Formation, Tanzania. Due to the general morphology and the absence of a lateral pneumatic foramen in both vertebrae, as well as the presence of a longitudinal depression, not previously reported in pterosaurs, we consider these specimens as representatives of a new species of Azhdarchidae. Moreover, because the coracoid, which bears three well-developed pneumatic foramina, has a well-excavated depression that is medially positioned at the posterior face of the acrocoracoid process, we regard this as a new basal pterodactyloid species. The wing metacarpal is greatly elongated and clearly belongs to Pterodactyloidea. Its elongation and slender aspect, as well as the sub-triangular shape of its proximal articular end, likely place it within the Tapejaroidea. The material here described shows the potential of these deposits to provide more informative pterosaur material and provisionally extends the oldest record of azhdarchids to the Kimmeridgian–Tithonian of Africa.