Pterosaurs in Romualdo Formation (Araripe Basin) and Quiricó Formation (São Francisco Basin) in Brazil (free pdfs)
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Ben Creisler
Sep 19, 2025, 6:25:22 PM (9 days ago) Sep 19
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Ben Creisler
Renan A.M. Bantim, Esaú V. de Araújo, Artur F.S. Araújo, Flaviana J. de Lima, Juliana M. Sayão & Paulo V. de Oliveira (2025)
Extending the Geographic Range of Pterosaurs in the Araripe Basin: First Record from the Romualdo Formation (Araripe Basin) in Piauí, Brazil
Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 97(Suppl. 1): e20250428
doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202520250428
https://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/rFDHP376M8JtCz3ppTC8Xqs/abstract/?lang=en
The Araripe Basin in northeastern Brazil is a key site for Cretaceous pterosaur fossils from Gondwanan deposits. Most discoveries are concentrated in its northern portion, particularly in Ceará state, within the Crato and Romualdo formations. In contrast, records from the southern part of the basin, especially in Piauí and Pernambuco, remain scarce. This study reports the first pterosaur fossils from the Romualdo Formation in Piauí, represented by two three-dimensionally preserved, incomplete wing phalanges: LPP Pt-002 and LPP Pt-005. Osteohistological analysis of LPP Pt-002 reveals a cortex composed of parallel-fibered bone, with endosteal lamellae and an external fundamental system (EFS), indicating skeletal maturity. In contrast, LPP Pt-005 displays a cortex of woven bone and circumferential lamellae, with a highly vascularized matrix and no evidence of EFS or endosteal lamellae, suggesting a post-juvenile stage. These differences indicate that the specimens represent distinct individuals. Although the reasons for the lower abundance of pterosaur remains in the southern Araripe Basin are unclear, these findings expand the known geographic range of Pterosauria within the basin and underscore the importance of further paleontological exploration in underrepresented regions to better understand pterosaur diversity and distribution during the Cretaceous.
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Free pdf:
Flávia Sibele F. Fialho, Rodrigo M. Santucci, Mariana S. Gomes & Dermeval A. Do Carmo (2025)
First report of pterosaur remains from the Lower Cretaceous Quiricó Formation, São Francisco Basin (Minas Gerais), Brazil
Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 97(Suppl. 1): : e20241140
doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202520241140
https://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/t7jW4khfqCnHFbKHKZCdfzr/abstract/?lang=en
Free pdf:
https://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/t7jW4khfqCnHFbKHKZCdfzr/?format=pdf&lang=en
The record of pterosaur fossils in Brazil is significant, however, it remains limited to a few sedimentary basins from the Cretaceous period. This study describes an isolated pterosaur tooth assigned to Ornithocheiriformes, collected from the Quiricó Formation, São Francisco Basin, Early Cretaceous (Aptian), of Minas Gerais State. The tooth was found in association with fossil plants and articulate gonorynchiform fishes. The tooth has a narrow elliptical cross-section, with marked mesial and distal carinae bearing no denticles. In lateral view, the tooth is triangular, being slightly curved lingually. The enamel is thin with no striations. These features, coupled with the Lower Cretaceous age of the deposits it was found, suggest the tooth belongs to an ornithocheiriform pterosaur. This finding represents the first report of pterosaur material from the São Francisco Basin and fills a geographical gap when previous records of ornithocheiriforms in Brazil are considered (Araripe, Bauru, Grajaú, and Recôncavo basins), suggesting a broader distribution of these flying archosaurs in Brazil. Also, this new ornithocheiriform record in the São Francisco Basin strengthen the similarity of its vertebrate fauna to the vertebrates found in Kem Kem Beds in Morocco.
New papers:
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Free pdf:
Free pdf:
Renan A.M. Bantim, Esaú V. de Araújo, Artur F.S. Araújo, Flaviana J. de Lima, Juliana M. Sayão & Paulo V. de Oliveira (2025)
Extending the Geographic Range of Pterosaurs in the Araripe Basin: First Record from the Romualdo Formation (Araripe Basin) in Piauí, Brazil
Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 97(Suppl. 1): e20250428
doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202520250428
https://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/rFDHP376M8JtCz3ppTC8Xqs/abstract/?lang=en
The Araripe Basin in northeastern Brazil is a key site for Cretaceous pterosaur fossils from Gondwanan deposits. Most discoveries are concentrated in its northern portion, particularly in Ceará state, within the Crato and Romualdo formations. In contrast, records from the southern part of the basin, especially in Piauí and Pernambuco, remain scarce. This study reports the first pterosaur fossils from the Romualdo Formation in Piauí, represented by two three-dimensionally preserved, incomplete wing phalanges: LPP Pt-002 and LPP Pt-005. Osteohistological analysis of LPP Pt-002 reveals a cortex composed of parallel-fibered bone, with endosteal lamellae and an external fundamental system (EFS), indicating skeletal maturity. In contrast, LPP Pt-005 displays a cortex of woven bone and circumferential lamellae, with a highly vascularized matrix and no evidence of EFS or endosteal lamellae, suggesting a post-juvenile stage. These differences indicate that the specimens represent distinct individuals. Although the reasons for the lower abundance of pterosaur remains in the southern Araripe Basin are unclear, these findings expand the known geographic range of Pterosauria within the basin and underscore the importance of further paleontological exploration in underrepresented regions to better understand pterosaur diversity and distribution during the Cretaceous.
======
Free pdf:
Flávia Sibele F. Fialho, Rodrigo M. Santucci, Mariana S. Gomes & Dermeval A. Do Carmo (2025)
First report of pterosaur remains from the Lower Cretaceous Quiricó Formation, São Francisco Basin (Minas Gerais), Brazil
Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 97(Suppl. 1): : e20241140
doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202520241140
https://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/t7jW4khfqCnHFbKHKZCdfzr/abstract/?lang=en
Free pdf:
https://www.scielo.br/j/aabc/a/t7jW4khfqCnHFbKHKZCdfzr/?format=pdf&lang=en
The record of pterosaur fossils in Brazil is significant, however, it remains limited to a few sedimentary basins from the Cretaceous period. This study describes an isolated pterosaur tooth assigned to Ornithocheiriformes, collected from the Quiricó Formation, São Francisco Basin, Early Cretaceous (Aptian), of Minas Gerais State. The tooth was found in association with fossil plants and articulate gonorynchiform fishes. The tooth has a narrow elliptical cross-section, with marked mesial and distal carinae bearing no denticles. In lateral view, the tooth is triangular, being slightly curved lingually. The enamel is thin with no striations. These features, coupled with the Lower Cretaceous age of the deposits it was found, suggest the tooth belongs to an ornithocheiriform pterosaur. This finding represents the first report of pterosaur material from the São Francisco Basin and fills a geographical gap when previous records of ornithocheiriforms in Brazil are considered (Araripe, Bauru, Grajaú, and Recôncavo basins), suggesting a broader distribution of these flying archosaurs in Brazil. Also, this new ornithocheiriform record in the São Francisco Basin strengthen the similarity of its vertebrate fauna to the vertebrates found in Kem Kem Beds in Morocco.
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