A new pteranodontoid pterosaur forelimb from the upper Yixian Formation, with a revision of Yixianopterus jingangshanensis
Received date: 2020-09-07
Online published: 2021-04-20
Pterosaurs in the Jehol Biota have been found in the Yixian and Jiufotang formations. The Jingangshan bedding is in the upper part of the Yixian Formation. The first two pterosaur embryos ever discovered in the world, two archaeopterodactyloid specimens, and the questionable Yixianopterus jingangshanensis have been reported in previous literature. Here, we describe a forelimb from this horizon and confirm its phylogenetic position in the Pteranodontoidea. The holotype of Y. jingangshanensis, now housed at Benxi Geological Museum, has been examined. The diagnosis of this taxon has been revised without the consideration of the artificial parts as following, a pteranodontoid pterosaur with a distinguished combination of characters: triangular and labiolingually compressed teeth with the first two more slender and longer than the others; teeth vertical to the occlusal surface; the second wing phalanx about 93% the length of the first wing phalanx. In the Jehol Biota, archaeopterodactyloid specimens have been mainly discovered from the Yixian Formation, while tapejaroids are almost found from the Jiufotang Formation. Including the new forelimb and Y. jingangshanensis, the pteranodontoids from the Jiufotang Formation are slightly greater in number than those from the Yixian Formation in species and specimens, differing from the previous thoughts on the distribution.
JIANG Shun-Xing, ZHANG Xin-Jun, CHENG Xin, WANG Xiao-Lin . A new pteranodontoid pterosaur forelimb from the upper Yixian Formation, with a revision of Yixianopterus jingangshanensis[J]. Vertebrata Palasiatica, 2021 , 59(2) : 81 -94 . DOI: 10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.201124
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