New Findings in the Study of Feathered Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs

New Findings in the Study of Feathered Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs

Authors:

???

Abstract:

An oviraptorid dinosaur Huanansaurus ganzhouensis, belonging to the derived oviraptorid dinosaur, was discovered from the Late Cretaceous deposits in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province. Its unique skull characteristics provide a new insight into the craniofacial evolution of oviraptorosaurid dinosaurs, paleogeographical distribution and paleoecological environments. Zhenyuanlong suni from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western part of Liaoning Province is a large, short-armed, winged dromaeosaurid dinosaur. It provides the evidence of feather morphologies and distribution in a short-armed dromaeosaurid dinosaur. The discovery of Zhenyuanlong also provides important evidence for the study of the diversity, the origin of feathers and the flight of Liaoning dromaeosaurid dinosaurs. Orientognathus chaoyngensis is the first Late Jurassic pterosaur discovered in western Liaoning and it is the largest rhamphorhynchinae pterosaur. The discovery of Orientognathus not only fills the temporal gap between the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous pterosaur faunas of China but also plays an important role in the understanding of radiation evolution of rhamphorhynchids from the Late Jurassic. The above-mentioned important discoveries play a key role in our understanding of the hot and difficult issues such as the evolution of oviraptorid dinosaurs, the feather evolution in dromaeosaurid dinosaurs and the origin of bird feathers. In particular, the Ganzhou Dinosaurian Fauna is named based on the discovery of Huanansaurus.

Orientognathus chaoyngensis: a new Rhamphorhynchid Pterosaur From Upper Jurassic China

A new rhamphorhynchid pterosaur (Pterosauria) from Jurassic deposits of Liaoning Province, China

Authors:

Lü et al

Abstract:

Compared to pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous from China, Late Jurassic pterosaurs are relatively rare. A new rhamphorhynchid pterosaur, Orientognathus chaoyngensis gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on an incomplete skeleton from the Upper Jurassic Tuchengzi Formation of Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, China. It is identified by the following characters: the toothless tip of the lower jaw is slightly pointed; the length ratio of wing metacarpal to humerus is 0.38, the ulna is shorter than each wing phalanx and the tibia is nearly equal to femur in length. A phylogenetic analysis recovers Orientognathus chaoyngensis as a rhamphorhynchid pterosaur. Orientognathus chaoyngensis is perhaps the youngest Jurassic pterosaur from western Liaoning Province of China.

Anurognathus ammoni: an Anurognathid Pterosaur From Late Jurassic China

Short note on an anurognathid pterosaur with a long tail from the Upper Jurassic of China

Authors:

Jiang et al

Abstract:

Pterosaurs consist of an extinct group of flying reptiles that show short- and long-tailed species. Among those are the anurognathids whose phylogenetic position has been considered quite controversial. So far, there are about 10 described specimens from the Anurognathidae, from which only a few show the preservation of caudal elements. Here, we report a new anurognathid specimen (IVPP V16728) from Mutoudeng, Qinglong, Hebei, China that shows the most complete tail of this non-pterodactyloid clade. The preserved part of the tail has at least 20 caudal vertebrae, some showing extended chevrons and zygapophyses, which is a very primitive character within pterosaurs.

Jianchangnathus robustus: a new Articulated Pterosaur Fossil From Oxfordian Jurassic China

Cranial morphology of a Scaphognathus-like pterosaur, Jianchangnathus robustus, based on a new fossil from the Tiaojishan Formation of western Liaoning, China

Author:

Zhou

Abstract:

A new pterosaur fossil with an articulated skull and fragmentary postcranial skeleton was collected from the Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Linglongta, western Liaoning, China. Its configuration shows an affinity with the Scaphognathus-like Jianchangnathus robustus, which was reported from the same region and horizon. The fossil reveals new cranial morphology: a convex dorsal margin of the skull, antorbital fenestra completely posterior to the naris, a long maxillary process and short quadratojugal process of the jugal, and jaw articulation above the midheight of the mandible; the first upper tooth close to the snout tip, the two anterior-most upper teeth tightly arranged, and the fifth upper tooth positioned at the level of the anterior margin of the naris. Recent discoveries of non-pterodactyloids from the Tiaojishan Formation of northeastern China exhibit a high taxonomic diversity comparable to those in the Solnhofen Limestone. Therefore, as a significant pterosaur assemblage before the Solnhofen Limestone, the Tiaojishan Formation provides a new perspective in understanding the evolution and diversity of the non-pterodactyloids.

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.