A new toothless pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota with comments on the Chaoyangopteridae
- PMID: 38129429
- PMCID: PMC10739979
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48076-7
A new toothless pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota with comments on the Chaoyangopteridae
Abstract
The Chaoyangopteridae is a clade of azhdarchoid pterosaurs that stands out in China, particularly in the Jehol Biota, as a Cretaceous group of medium-sized and high-crested pterosaurs. Herein, we describe a new species, Meilifeilong youhao gen. et sp. nov., based on two specimens, one tentatively referred to this taxon. This new species represents the most complete and well-preserved chaoyangopterid recorded to date. Along with a set of characters (low premaxillary crest above the nasoantorbital fenestra extending posteriorly, posterior premaxillary process arched and curving posteriorly, a slightly convex sternal articulation surface of coracoid, and a fibular shaft close to proximal articulation strongly arched posteriorly), this species also provides new information both on the unknown palatal region of this clade, and on the rarely preserved (in place) ear portion with stapes. Moreover, M. youhao sheds light on paleoecological aspects, while also giving new information about the taxonomic diversity of this peculiar group of Jiufotang pterosaurs.
© 2023. The Author(s).
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no competing interests.
Figures
![Figure 1](http://178.128.105.246/cars-https-www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10739979/bin/41598_2023_48076_Fig1_HTML.gif)
![Figure 2](http://178.128.105.246/cars-https-www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10739979/bin/41598_2023_48076_Fig2_HTML.gif)
![Figure 3](http://178.128.105.246/cars-https-www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10739979/bin/41598_2023_48076_Fig3_HTML.gif)
![Figure 4](http://178.128.105.246/cars-https-www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10739979/bin/41598_2023_48076_Fig4_HTML.gif)
Similar articles
-
A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China and its implications for pterosaur phylogeny and evolution.Naturwissenschaften. 2008 Sep;95(9):891-7. doi: 10.1007/s00114-008-0397-5. Epub 2008 May 29. Naturwissenschaften. 2008. PMID: 18509616
-
The toothless pterosaur Jidapterus edentus (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchoidea) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and its paleoecological implications.PLoS One. 2017 Sep 26;12(9):e0185486. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185486. eCollection 2017. PLoS One. 2017. PMID: 28950013 Free PMC article.
-
New Material of Sinopterus (Pterosauria, Tapejaridae) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China.An Acad Bras Cienc. 2019 Jun 27;91(suppl 2):e20180756. doi: 10.1590/0001-376520192018756. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2019. PMID: 31271567
-
A skeleton from the Middle Jurassic of Scotland illuminates an earlier origin of large pterosaurs.Curr Biol. 2022 Mar 28;32(6):1446-1453.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.073. Epub 2022 Feb 22. Curr Biol. 2022. PMID: 35196508 Review.
-
An exceptionally preserved Lower Cretaceous ecosystem.Nature. 2003 Feb 20;421(6925):807-14. doi: 10.1038/nature01420. Nature. 2003. PMID: 12594504 Review.
References
-
- Kellner AWA. Pterossauros Os Senhores Dos Céus Do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro. Vieira & Lent; 2006.
-
- Barrett PM, Butler RJ, Edwards NP, Milner AR. Pterosaur distribution in time and space: An atlas. Zitteliana Reihe B. 2008;28:61–107.
-
- Hone DWE. Pterosaur research: Recent advances and a future revolution. Acta Geologica Sinica (English Ed.) 2012;86:1366–1376. doi: 10.1111/1755-6724.12006. - DOI
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
- 42288201/National Natural Science Foundation of China
- 42072028/National Natural Science Foundation of China
- 42072017/National Natural Science Foundation of China
- 2019075/Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
- XDB26000000/Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of Chinese Academy of Sciences
- XDB18000000/Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of Chinese Academy of Sciences
- E-26/201.095/2022/Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
- #313461/2018-0/Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- #406779/2021-0/Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- 406902/2022-4/Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- #421772/2018-2/Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- (#BMD-0124-00302.01.01/19; PV1-00187-00052.01.00/21/Fundação Cearense de Apoio do Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources