Nipponopterus, new azhdarchid from Upper Cretaceous of Japan
35 views
Skip to first unread message
Ben Creisler
Nov 16, 2024, 12:05:19 PMNov 16
to DinosaurMa...@googlegroups.com
Ben Creisler
A new paper:
Nipponopterus mifunensis gen. et sp. nov.
Xuanyu Zhou, Naoki Ikegami, Rodrigo V. Pêgas,Toru Yoshinaga, Takahiro Sato, Toshifumi Mukunoki, Jun Otani & Yoshitsugu Kobayashi (2024)
Reassessment of an azhdarchid pterosaur specimen from the Mifune Group, Upper Cretaceous of Japan
Cretaceous Research 106046
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2024.106046
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667124002192
The Japanese pterosaur record is relatively scarce and represented by a limited number of fragmentary specimens from Cretaceous deposits, including a partial cervical vertebra of an azhdarchid from the “Upper Formation” (Turonian-Coniacian) of the Mifune Group in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Here, we redescribe this notable Japanese pterosaur specimen and test its phylogenetic position. We interpret it as a sixth cervical vertebra and identify diagnostic features that enable its recognition as a new taxon, Nipponopterus mifunensis gen. et sp. nov. It is noteworthy that this represents the first nominal species of pterosaur from Japan and that this new taxon shows numerous quetzalcoatline features, being strikingly similar to the unnamed Burkhant azhdarchid from the Turonian–Coniacian of Mongolia. Our phylogenetic analysis places Nipponopterus as a sister taxon to the Burkhant azhdarchid and nested within the clade of Quetzalcoatlinae.
====
Nipponopterus mifunensis gen. et sp. nov.
Xuanyu Zhou, Naoki Ikegami, Rodrigo V. Pêgas,Toru Yoshinaga, Takahiro Sato, Toshifumi Mukunoki, Jun Otani & Yoshitsugu Kobayashi (2024)
Reassessment of an azhdarchid pterosaur specimen from the Mifune Group, Upper Cretaceous of Japan
Cretaceous Research 106046
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2024.106046
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667124002192
The Japanese pterosaur record is relatively scarce and represented by a limited number of fragmentary specimens from Cretaceous deposits, including a partial cervical vertebra of an azhdarchid from the “Upper Formation” (Turonian-Coniacian) of the Mifune Group in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Here, we redescribe this notable Japanese pterosaur specimen and test its phylogenetic position. We interpret it as a sixth cervical vertebra and identify diagnostic features that enable its recognition as a new taxon, Nipponopterus mifunensis gen. et sp. nov. It is noteworthy that this represents the first nominal species of pterosaur from Japan and that this new taxon shows numerous quetzalcoatline features, being strikingly similar to the unnamed Burkhant azhdarchid from the Turonian–Coniacian of Mongolia. Our phylogenetic analysis places Nipponopterus as a sister taxon to the Burkhant azhdarchid and nested within the clade of Quetzalcoatlinae.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages