Ordosipterus planignathus Ji, 2020 DOI: 10.31035/cg2020007 Illustration by Chuang Zhao. ABSTRACT A new dsungaripterid pterosaur, Ordosipterus planignathus gen. et sp. nov., is established on the incomplete articulated lower jaws from the Lower Cretaceous Luohandong Formation in Otog Qi, Ordos Region, Inner Mongolia, China. It differs from other dsungaripterids mainly by having broad and low dentary at and just behind the mandibular symphysis, flat dentary dorsal plane forming the distinct lateral ridge with the curved dentary lateral side, and lower alveoli arranged along the dentary dorsolateral margin with wide spacing that increases from rostral to caudal. It represents the first diagnostic pterosaur from the Ordos Region in Inner Mongolia, and further enlarges the geographical distribution of the family Dsungaripteridae from northwestern China (together with western Mongolia) to central North China. Keywords: Pterosauria, Dsungaripteridae, Early Cretaceous, Ordos Region, Inner Mongolia, China Figure 2. Holotype (IG V13-011) of Ordosipterus planignathus gen. et sp. nov., incomplete articulated lower jaws. a–dorsal view; b–left lateral view; c–ventral view. Order Pterosauria Kaup, 1834 Suborder Pterodactyloidea Plieninger, 1901 Family Dsungaripteridae Young, 1964 Genus Ordosipterus gen. nov. Type species. Ordosipterus planignathus gen. et sp. nov. Etymology. Ordos, referring to the Ordos Region of Inner Mongolia; pterus (Greek), meaning wing, the common suffix of pterosaur taxa. Ordosipterus planignathus gen. et sp. nov. Etymology. Plani- (Latin) and gnathus (Greek), meaning flat and jaw, referring to the flat lower jaws of the new pterosaur. Holotype. IG V13-011 (Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences), anterior portion of articulated lower jaws with a partial tooth and several alveoli (Figs. 2, 3). Type locality and horizon. Xinzhao, Otog Qi, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China; lower part of Luohandong Formation, Zhidan Group, Lower Cretaceous. Diagnosis: Distinguished from other dsungaripterids in having broad and low dentary at and just behind the mandibular symphysis, a weak ventral median ridge present at least at the middle portion of symphysis, flat dentary dorsal plane forming the distinct lateral ridge with the curved dentary lateral side, lower alveoli arranged along the dentary dorsolateral margin with wide spacing that increases from rostral to caudal, the distance between two adjacent alveoli about 1.5 times to 3 times the rostrocaudal diameter of the front alveolus. Conclusion: The Early Cretaceous Ordosipterus planignathus gen. et sp. nov. represents the first convincible pterosaur from the Ordos Region in Inner Mongolia, and the second pterosaur taxon from the Ordos Basin after Huanhepterus quingyangensis in Gansu Province. As a member of family Dsungaripteridae, Ordosipterus enlarges the geographical distribution of the dsungaripterid pterosaurs from the northwestern China (with western Mongolia) to central North China. This fossil further strengthens the opinion that the northern China and Mongolia belong to a unique and endemic dinosaur biogeographic realm featured by the presence of Psittacosaurus and pterosaurs during the Early Cretaceous period. Shu-An Ji. 2020. First Record of Early Cretaceous Pterosaur from the Ordos Region, Inner Mongolia, China. China Geology. 3(1); 1-7. DOI: 10.31035/cg2020007

The most up-to-date and authoritative illustrated guide to the marvelous flying reptiles that dominated the skies of the Mesozoic for 160 million years Once seen by some as evolutionary dead-enders, pterosaurs were vigorous winged reptiles capable of thriving in an array of habitats and climates, including polar winters. The Princeton Field Guide to Pterosaurs transforms our understanding of these great Mesozoic archosaurs of the air. This incredible guide covers 115 pterosaur species and features stunning illustrations of pterosaurs ranging in size from swallows to small sailplanes, some with enormous, bizarre head crests and elongated beaks. It discusses the history of pterosaurs through 160 million years of the Mesozoic-including their anatomy, physiology, locomotion, reproduction, growth, and extinction-and even gives a taste of what it might be like to travel back to the Mesozoic. This one-of-a-kind guide also challenges the common image of big pterosaurs as ultralights that only soared, showing how these spectacular creatures could be powerful flappers as heavy as bears. Features detailed species accounts of 115 different kinds of pterosaurs, with the latest size and mass estimates Written and illustrated by the acclaimed researcher and artist who helped to redefine the anatomy and flight performance of pterosaurs Covers everything from pterosaur biology to the colorful history of pterosaur paleontology Includes dozens of original skeletal drawings and full-color life studies Color + b/w illus.

Quetzalcoatlus /kɛtsəlkoʊˈætləs/ (pronounced Kwetz-al-co-wat-lus or Ket-so-cah-watlus) is an extinct genus of large pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of North America. It was a member of the Azhdarchidae, a family of advanced toothless pterosaurs with unusually long, stiffened necks. It is considered as one of the biggest known pterosaur species, alongside the Hatzegopteryx. There are two known species: the type species Q. northropi and its smaller counterpart Q. lawsoni. Skull material from a

A fossil site may contain guano washed into the oceans from a pterosaur colony.

Following the worst mass extinction in Earth's history, at the end of the Permian Period, the Triassic was a time of both recovery and a fascinating diversification of life, including the evolution of such favorites as dinosaurs and pterosaurs.

“It’s #PterosaurPtuesday and Anurognathus is not the only Anurognathid taxon that will appear in my book. Here are some sneak peeks at some other members of that family of #pterosaurs that will also appear on my book #paleoart #sciart”

A huge, flying reptile that weighed as much as several adult humans combined and had the wingspan of a small plane soared over Alberta during the Age of Dinosaurs. Now, it’s been identified as a new species.

We thought the flying reptiles known as pterosaurs were already dying out when a mass extinction finished the job. New research says we were wrong.

A tooth embedded in prehistoric cephalopod offers a glimpse into predator-prey interactions from 150 million years ago

Scientists have announced the discovery of a pterosaur fossil from the Middle Jurassic of the Isle of Skye. It has been named Dearc sgiathanach.

This post is part of a series about my recent tour of the Heartland of Laramide Tectonics in south central Wyoming. I spent a good amount of time among rocks of the Jurassic period, when dinosaurs ruled.

February 05, 2024

This illustrated dinosaur print features over 50 dinosaurs that lived during the Mesozoic Era. It shows the relationship between dinosaurs and reptiles we know of today including turtles, snakes, lizards and crocodiles. It also shows other extinct reptiles that lived during the time of the dinosaurs including  ichthyosauria (extinct marine reptiles) and pterosaurs (extinct flying reptiles). The print showcases dinosaurs within a timeline starting in the mid Triassic, through the  Jurassic, and to the end of the late Cretaceous period.  Next to each dinosaur features data on each reptile including the name, pronunciations, approximate years alive and diet (carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores). The print shows each dinosaur to scale compared to a 1.8 meter tall adult. This artwork is perfect for classrooms, offices or bedrooms, and would make a great gift for any dinosaur lover.  The dinosaurs featured on this print include the following: ORNITHISCHIANS Ankylosaurus Camptosaurus Centrosaurus Chasmosaurus Goyocephale Heterodontosaurus Huayangosaurus Hypsilophodon Iguanodon Kentrosaurus Lambeosaurus Ouranosaurus Pachycephalosaurus Panoplosaurus Parasaurolophus Protoceratops Psittacosaurus Sauropelta Scelidosaurus Stegoceras Stegosaurus Tenontosaurus Thescelosaurus Triceratops Tylocephale Yinlong THEROPODS Afrovenator Allosaurus Archaeopteryx Carnotaurus Ceratosaurus Coelophysis Compsognathus Cryolophosaurus Giganotosaurus Oviraptor Spinosaurus Tyrannosaurus Velociraptor SAUROPODS Alamosaurus Apatosaurus Brachiosaurus Diplodocus Ligabuesaurus Massospondylus Melanorosaurus Opisthocoelicaudia Plateosaurus Riojasaurus Shunosaurus Vulcanodon   *Note that data included on the poster such as years alive, scale, diet, pronunciations, etc. was pulled from the Natural History Museum's website at  www.nhm.ac.uk **Note that this chart shows the groupings of Ornithischians, Theropods, and Sauropods according to the Baron/Norman/Barrett classification of 2017, and not the historical groupings according to hip bones.

A recently discovered pterosaur was a real pip-squeak compared to the much larger flying reptiles that flapped across the skies during the age of dinosaurs

The well-preserved find from Scotland’s Isle of Skye offers a rare peek into the evolutionary journey of these ancient wonders on wings.

The tiny Triassic fossil first discovered in Scotland belongs to a group of dinosaurs that were only the size of a cat or a small dog.

A newly-discovered species of pterosaur called Dearc sgiathanach is the biggest flying creature ever found from the Jurassic period.

Some things just can't be explained, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun to try. Find articles on the most miraculous, anomalous, and enigmatic phenomena of our world and the next.

Sinomacrops bondei Wei, Pêgas, Shen, Guo, Ma, Sun & Zhou,. 2021 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11161 Paleoart courtesy of Zhao Chuang Abstract Anurognathids are an elusive group of diminutive, potentially arboreal pterosaurs. Even though their monophyly has been well-supported, their intrarelationships have been obscure, and their phylogenetic placement even more. In the present work, we present a new genus and species from the Middle-Late Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation, the third nominal anurognathid species from the Jurassic of China. The new species provides new information concerning morphological diversity for the group. Furthermore, we provide a new phylogenetic analysis incorporating into a single data set characters from diverging phylogenetic proposals. Our results place them as the sister-group of Darwinoptera + Pterodactyloidea, as basal members of the Monofenestrata. Systematic Paleontology Pterosauria Owen, 1842 Novialoidea Kellner, 2003 Breviquartossa Unwin, 2003 Monofenestrata Lü et al., 2009 Anurognathidae Kuhn, 1937 Batrachognathinae Kellner et al., 2010 Definition. The most inclusive clade containing Batrachognathus volans but not Anurognathus ammoni (Kellner et al., 2010). Synapomorphies. Humeral deltopectoral crest reduced (less wide than humeral shaft; and less wide than proximodistally long), humeral deltopectoral crest subrectangular, ulnar crest of humerus rounded, humeral/femoral length ratio over 1.60, tibial/femoral length ratio over 1.70. Included species. Batrachognathus volans and Sinomacrops bondei gen. et sp. nov. Figure 2: Sinomacrops bondei tax. nov., holotype (JPM-2012-001) overview. (A) Photograph; and (B) schematic drawing. Abbreviations: ca, caudal vertebrae; co, coracoid; cv, cervical vertebrae; d, dentary; fe, femur; fi, fibula; hu, humerus; mcIV, metacarpal IV; pip, puboischiadic plate; prap, preacetabular process of the illium; rd, radius; sca, scapula; sk, skull; ul, ulna; wp, wing phalanx. Scale bar equals 20 mm. Sinomacrops bondei gen. et sp. nov. Etymology. The generic name is a combination of Sino, macro and ops; which are Ancient Greek for China, large, and eyes/face, respectively. This is in reference to both the large eyes and the broad faces that are typical of anurognathids, and to the Chinese origin of the new species. The specific epithet honors paleontologist Niels Bonde, for his many scientific contributions and being an inspiration for us. Locality and horizon. Mutoudeng, Qinglong County of Hebei Province. Daohugou Beds (Callovian-Oxfordian 164-158 Ma) of the Tiaojishan Formation (see Liu, Zhao & Liu 2006; Liu et al., 2006; Gao & Shubin, 2012). Diagnosis. The new taxon exhibits two autapomorphies: first three maxillary alveoli closely spaced, and tibiotarsus twice as long as the femur. Figure 14: Life reconstruction of Sinomacrops bondei. Paleoart courtesy of Zhao Chuang, reproduced with permission. Phylogenetic analysis results. Strict consensus tree showing the phylogenetic relationships of Sinomacrops bondei and anurognathids. Dashed line indicates result exclusive to the semi-strict consensus tree. Conclusions: JZMP-2107500095 represents a new anurognathid, here named Sinomacrops bondei (Fig. 14). It is the second anurognathid from the Tiaojishan Formation, and the first anurognathid specimen to exhibit a skull exposed in lateral view. In our new phylogenetic analysis, it is recovered as the sister-group of Batrachognathus volans, with which it comprises the Batrachognathinae. All other taxa were recovered as closer to Anurognathus. The exclusion of Luopterus mutoudengensis from the genus Dendrorhynchoides is corroborated. Vesperopterylus lamadongensis is recovered as the sister-group of Anurognathus ammoni, with Jeholopterus ningchengensis as their successive sister-group. Some previous interpretations of anurognathid morphology and systematics have relied on limited available information. With time and new specimens being discovered, new data have been provided and new interpretations were presented. For this reason, each new specimen is crucial for the understanding of the group. The present information available leads us to interpret anurognathids as basal members of the Monofenestrata, as the sister-group of Darwinoptera + Pterodactyloidea. Xuefang Wei, Rodrigo Vargas Pêgas, Caizhi Shen, Yanfang Guo, Waisum Ma, Deyu Sun and Xuanyu Zhou​. 2021. Sinomacrops bondei, A New Anurognathid Pterosaur from the Jurassic of China and Comments on the Group. PeerJ. 9:e11161. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11161

Pterosaurs are perhaps the most popular dinosaur that isn't actually a dinosaur. The massive beasts, whose name is Greek for "winged lizards," are so strongly associated with the age of dinosaurs that they memorably appear everywhere from natural history museums to movie franchises like the "Jurassic Park" series. Pterosaurs like the iconic pterodactyl are closely related to birds and other dinosaurs, and as such new discoveries about them regularly excited fans of science. That is why there has been considerable media attention around a recent study in the journal Historical Biology. Researchers from Australia have confirmed pterosaur bones that are 107 million years old, the oldest set of pterosaur bones known to the fossil record.