Comments on the Pteranodontidae (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) with the description of two new species - PubMed (original) (raw)

Comments on the Pteranodontidae (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) with the description of two new species

Alexander W A Kellner. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2010 Dec.

Free article

Abstract

Considered one of the best known flying reptiles, Pteranodon has been subject to several reviews in the last century. Found exclusively in the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Formation and Pierre Shale Group 11 species have been attributed to this genus (excluding the ones presently regarded as representing Nyctosaurus). While reviewers agree that this number is inflated, there is disagreement on how many species can be identified. The last review recognized only two species (Pteranodon longiceps and Pteranodon sternbergi) both being sexually dimorphic. Based on several cranial features, some specimens previously referred to the genus Pteranodon are re-evaluated leading to the recognition of the following species, two of which new that are described here: Pteranodon longiceps, Geosternbergia sternbergi, Geosternbergia maiseyi sp. nov., and Dawndraco kanzai gen. et sp. nov. They differ mainly by features such as the direction and extension of the frontal crest, the angle and extension of the posterior process of the premaxillae, the shape and extension of the lower temporal fenestra and the length and proportion of the rostrum. The procedures to recognize a pterosaur species are also discussed here, and must take into account primarily morphology, in conjunction with stratigraphic and geographic data. Although well aware that changes in morphology not always reflect taxonomy, the lack of stratigraphic data and the limited number of specimens that can be confidently assigned to one species hampers our understanding on the morphological variations as a function of ontogeny, individual variation and sexual dimorphism. Although the present study has not eliminated the possibility to recognize such differences, caution is needed before models are generalized for pterosaurs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

• A new toothed pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: Anhangueridae) from the Early Cretaceous Romualdo Formation, NE Brazil.
  Bantim RA, Saraiva AA, Oliveira GR, Sayão JM. Bantim RA, et al. Zootaxa. 2014 Oct 1;3869(3):201-23. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3869.3.1. Zootaxa. 2014. PMID: 25283914
• Comments on Triassic pterosaurs with discussion about ontogeny and description of new taxa.
  Kellner AW. Kellner AW. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2015 Apr-Jun;87(2):669-89. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765201520150307. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2015. PMID: 26131631
• A new toothless pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea) from Southern Brazil with insights into the paleoecology of a Cretaceous desert.
  Kellner AWA, Weinschütz LC, Holgado B, Bantim RAM, Sayão JM. Kellner AWA, et al. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2019 Aug 19;91(suppl 2):e20190768. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765201920190768. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2019. PMID: 31432888
• New azhdarchoid pterosaur (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) with an unusual lower jaw from the Portezuelo Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Neuquén Group, Patagonia, Argentina.
  Kellner AWA, Calvo JO. Kellner AWA, et al. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2017;89(3 Suppl):2003-2012. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765201720170478. Epub 2017 Sep 25. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2017. PMID: 29166530
• The history, importance and anatomy of the specimen that validated the giant Purussaurus brasiliensis Barbosa-Rodrigues 1892 (Crocodylia: Caimaninae).
  Souza LG, Bandeira KLN, Pêgas RV, Brum AS, Machado R, Guilherme E, Loboda TS, Souza-Filho JP. Souza LG, et al. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2021 Jun 16;93(suppl 2):e20200369. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765202120200369. eCollection 2021. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2021. PMID: 34161448 Review.

Cited by

• Were early pterosaurs inept terrestrial locomotors?
  Witton MP. Witton MP. PeerJ. 2015 Jun 16;3:e1018. doi: 10.7717/peerj.1018. eCollection 2015. PeerJ. 2015. PMID: 26157605 Free PMC article.
• A new azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of the Transylvanian Basin, Romania: implications for azhdarchid diversity and distribution.
  Vremir M, Kellner AW, Naish D, Dyke GJ. Vremir M, et al. PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e54268. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054268. Epub 2013 Jan 30. PLoS One. 2013. PMID: 23382886 Free PMC article.
• Review of taxonomy, geographic distribution, and paleoenvironments of Azhdarchidae (Pterosauria).
  Averianov A. Averianov A. Zookeys. 2014 Aug 11;(432):1-107. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.432.7913. eCollection 2014. Zookeys. 2014. PMID: 25152671 Free PMC article.
• A Basal Tapejarine (Pterosauria; Pterodactyloidea; Tapejaridae) from the Crato Formation, Early Cretaceous of Brazil.
  Pêgas RV, Leal ME, Kellner AW. Pêgas RV, et al. PLoS One. 2016 Sep 21;11(9):e0162692. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162692. eCollection 2016. PLoS One. 2016. PMID: 27655346 Free PMC article.
• Paleohistology of Susisuchus anatoceps (Crocodylomorpha, Neosuchia): Comments on Growth Strategies and Lifestyle.
  Sayão JM, Bantim RA, Andrade RC, Lima FJ, Saraiva AA, Figueiredo RG, Kellner AW. Sayão JM, et al. PLoS One. 2016 May 5;11(5):e0155297. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155297. eCollection 2016. PLoS One. 2016. PMID: 27149108 Free PMC article.

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Scientific Electronic Library Online