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| Luchibang xingzhe
Hone, Fitch, Ma & Xu, 2020
DOI: 10.26879/1015
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ABSTRACT
A new genus and species of istiodactylid pterosaur, Luchibang xingzhe gen. et sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China is erected based on a near complete specimen lacking only the posterior of the skull and the tail. The holotype individual is skeletally immature and already bigger than most istiodactylids suggesting a large wingspan at adult. This is the most complete istiodactylid specimen known to date and provides new information on the anatomy of this group and their putative ecology. The animal is unusual in having postcranial robust and elongate hindlimbs, which marks it as different to other istiodactylids and other pteranodontoids.
Key words: Pterosauria; phylogeny; taxonomy; ecology; new genus; new species
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| Figure1: Holotype. ELDM 1000 (Erlianhaote Dinosaur Museum, Inner Mongolia), a nearly complete articulated skeleton missing only the posterior part of the skull, sternal ribs, the caudal series, one prepubis, and the left carpals and pteroid. |
SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY
PTEROSAURIA Kaup, 1834
PTERODACTYLOIDEA Plieninger, 1901
ISTIODACTYLIDAE Howse et al., 2001
Luchibang, new genus
Type species. Luchibang xingzhe gen. et sp. nov, by monotypy.
Occurrence. Liutiaogou Village, Dashuangmiao Township, Ningcheng, Neimongol; the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation.
Remarks. Prior to the recognition of Luchibang, Nurhachius was the only istiodactylid known from complete stylopodal and zeugopodal elements from both the fore- and hindlimbs, and these elements are notably longer in Luchibang than in Nurhachius (see Limb proportions of pterodactyloids). The holotype of Luchibang (ELDM 1000) is also the largest and most complete of known istiodactylid specimens and will provide new information on the anatomy of istiodactylids and the morphological disparity of pterandontoid pterosaurs.
Luchibang xingzhe, new species
Diagnosis. Istiodactyloid pterosaur that can be distinguished from others in the group by two unique characters: a large, rectangular sternum with a straight posterior edge, and a long femur that is more than 80% of the length of the ulna. It can be further distinguished from other istiodactylids by the following combination of characters: rostrum with no dorsal expansion anteriorly; very well-spaced teeth in the posterior part of the jaw; a dentary symphysis that is more than four times longer than wide in dorsal view; long and narrow mandibular rami (approximately 20 times longer than wide in dorsal view).
Etymology. Lu to honour our friend the pterosaur researcher Lü Junchang, and from the Mandarin for ‘heron’ in reference to the fact that this is a long-legged and potentially wading animal, and chibang from the Chinese for ‘wing’ and xingzhe from the Chinese for ‘walker’ in reference to the inferred strong terrestrial capabilities of the animal. This should be pronounced as “Loo-chee-bang shing-hey”.
Occurrence. Liutiaogou Village, Dashuangmiao Township, Ningcheng, Neimongol; the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation.
David W. E. Hone, Adam J. Fitch, Feimin Ma and Xing Xu. 2020. An Unusual New Genus of Istiodactylid Pterosaur from China based on A Near Complete Specimen. Palaeontologia Electronica. 23(1); a09. DOI: 10.26879/1015
Pterosaur are an extinct group of flying reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs. One of the more unusual group of these are the istiodactylids which had long and very light skull with a series of sharp teeth only at the very tip. Few specimens are known and most are very incomplete or poorly described. Here we present a new Chinese istiodactylid based on a specimen of unprescedented completeness. It is also unusually large (one of the largest known, despite being a very young animal) and had bizarrely long legs and large feet unlike its other nearest relatives.
