A new species of Darwinopterus (Wukongopteridae, Pterosauria) from western Liaoning provides some new information on the ontogeny of this clade

A new species of Darwinopterus (Wukongopteridae, Pterosauria) from western Liaoning provides some new information on the ontogeny of this clade

Abstract The Wukongopteridae is an important pterosaur clade from the Yanliao Biota, combining features of basal and derived pterosaurs. So far, the Wukongopteridae consists of five species divided into three genera: Wukongopterus lii, Darwinopterus modularis, Darwinopterus linglongtaensis, Darwinop...

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Main Authors: XIN CHENG, SHUNXING JIANG, RENAN A.M. BANTIM, JULIANA M. SAYÃO, ANTÔNIO Á.F. SARAIVA, XI MENG, ALEXANDER W.A. KELLNER, XIAOLIN WANG
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2025-02-01
Series:Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências
Subjects:
Pterosauria
Wukongopteridae
ontogeny
Yanliao Biota
Middle-Late Jurassic
China
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652025001001204&lng=en&tlng=en
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Summary:Abstract The Wukongopteridae is an important pterosaur clade from the Yanliao Biota, combining features of basal and derived pterosaurs. So far, the Wukongopteridae consists of five species divided into three genera: Wukongopterus lii, Darwinopterus modularis, Darwinopterus linglongtaensis, Darwinopterus robustodens, and Kunpengopterus sinensis. Here we report a new species, Darwinopterus camposi sp. nov., based on an almost complete skeleton (IVPP V 17957). The new species is referred to Darwinopterus due to the presence of an elongated posterior region of the skull and the bony premaxillary crest that starts about the anterior margin of the nasoantorbital fenestra. It differs from all other wukongopterids by having the dorsal margin of the premaxillary crest straight, without an extensive dorsal projection and presenting a smooth lateral surface. Furthermore, D. camposi sp. nov. has eighteen and fourteen teeth on each side of the upper and lower jaws, respectively, and the fourth phalanx of the wing finger shorter than the first. IVPP V 17957 shows some fused postcranial bones, like the extensor tendon process to the first wing finger phalanx, but also has unfused premaxilla and frontal, which provides further information about wukongopterid ontogeny.
ISSN:1678-2690

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