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Iberodactylus andreui
Holgado, Pêgas, Canudo, Fortuny, Rodrigues, Company & Kellner. 2019
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Abstract
The pterosaur record from the Iberian Peninsula is mostly scarce and undefined, but in the last few years some new taxa have been described from different Lower Cretaceous sites of Spain. Here we describe a new genus and species of toothed pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Barremian of the Iberian Peninsula, Iberodactylus andreui gen. et sp. nov., that shows a close and rather unexpected relationship with Hamipterus tianshanensis from China. A review of the phylogenetic relationships of the Anhangueria reveals a new family of pterodactyloid pterosaurs, the Hamipteridae fam. nov. being recovered as sister-group of the Anhangueridae. This latter clade can be in turn divided into the new clades Anhanguerinae and Coloborhynchinae. The close relationships of Iberodactylus and Hamipterus shows an interesting palaeobiogeographical correlation between the Chinese and Iberian pterosaur faunas during the Barremian (Lower Cretaceous). The discovery of Iberodactylus strongly suggests that the clade Anhangueria has clear ancestral ties in eastern Laurasia.
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| a life reconstruction of a flock of Iberodactylus andreui gen. et sp. nov. |
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| Figure 3 Comparison of the rostrum of Iberodactylus andreui gen. et sp. nov. (MPZ-2014/1) with a cast of a skull of Hamipterus tianshanensis (specimen stored at the Museu Nacional/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (MN), MN-7536-V). Pictures in right lateral (A,C) and palatal (B,D) views. |
Pterosauria Kaup, 1834.
Pterodactyloidea Plieninger, 1901.
Ornithocheiroidea Seeley, 1870 sensu Kellner (2003).
Pteranodontoidea Marsh, 1876 sensu Kellner (2003).
Lanceodontia Andres et al. (2014).
Ornithocheirae Seeley, 1870 sensu Andres et al. (2014).
Anhangueria Rodrigues & Kellner, 2013.
Hamipteridae fam. nov.
Branch-based definition: The most inclusive clade containing Hamipterus tianshanensis, but not Ludodactylus sibbicki, Coloborhynchus clavirostris, and Anhanguera blittersdorffi.
Diagnosis: Crested anhanguerian pterodactyloids with the following synapomorphies: well-defined parallel and forward curved striae and sulci on the anterior region of the premaxillary crest, and an anterior rounded expansion of the anterior margin of the premaxillary crest.
Included species: Hamipterus tianshanensis and Iberodactylus andreui gen. et sp. nov.
Iberodactylus andreui gen. et sp. nov.
Etymology: From the Iberian Peninsula and the Iberian System, where the specimen was recovered, and ‘dactylos’ (δάκτυλος), finger (ancient Greek), a common suffix in pterosaur names; in honour of Mr. Javier Andreu, a local collector who found the fossil.
Holotype: Museo de Ciencias Naturales de la Universidad de Zaragoza (MPZ, Zaragoza, Spain) MPZ-2014/1; an anterior portion of a rostrum, including premaxillae –with a premaxillary crest– and maxillae, both with alveoli and broken teeth.
Horizon and locality: Los Quiñones site, Morenillo limestones of the Blesa Formation, Barremian (Lower Cretaceous), Oliete sub-basin, Iberian Basin. Obón, Teruel Province, Aragón, northeast Spain.
Diagnosis: Hamipterid pterodactyloid with the following autapomorphies: relatively deep premaxillary tip, premaxillary crest with its anterior margin curvature at an angle of about 80°.
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| Figure 4 Skull characters of species from different lineages within Anhangueria. Each skull is based on the holotypes and paratypes (dark grey), and elements from other specimens (light grey) re-marked with broken lines. Hamipterus tianshanensis (IVPP V 18935.1), in righ lateral view (A) and palatal view (B) Ludodactylus sibbicki (specimen stored at the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany (SMNK), SMNK PAL 3828), in right lateral view (C) Caulkicephalus trimicrodon (specimen stored at the Isle of Wight County Museum Service, Sandown, Isle of Wight, England, United Kingdom (IWCMS), IWCMS 2002.189), in palatal view (D) Tropeognathus mesembrinus (specimen stored at the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich, Germany (BSP), BSP 1987 I 46), in right lateral view (E), and palatal view (F); Anhanguera blittersdorffi (MN 4805-V), in right lateral view (G), and palatal view (H) and Uktenadactylus wadleighi (specimen stored at the Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, United States (SMU), SMU 73058), in right lateral view (I), and palatal view (J). Arrows show the character states in each skull. Scale bar 5 cm. See the Supplementary Information for details about number and state of characters. |
Anhanguerinae clade nov.
Stem-based definition: The most inclusive clade containing Anhanguera blittersdorffi but not Coloborhynchus clavirostris.
Diagnosis: Anhanguerids with an enlarged fourth premaxillary tooth, larger than the fifth and sixth teeth and as large as or larger than the third tooth.
Content: Anhanguera, Caulkicephalus, Cearadactylus, Guidraco, Liaoningopterus, Ludodactylus and Maaradactylus.
Coloborhynchinae clade nov.
Stem-based definition: The most inclusive clade containing Coloborhynchus clavirostris but not Anhanguera blittersdorffi or Ludodactylus sibbicki.
Diagnosis: Anhanguerids with a quadrangular expansion of the premaxillary tip and a flat anterior surface of the rostrum24.
Content: Coloborhynchus, Siroccopteryx and Uktenadactylus.
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| Figure 5: Origin and radiation of the clade Anhangueria during the Early Cretaceous. (A) Phylogenetic relationships of Iberodactylus andreui gen. et sp. nov. within Pterodactyloidea. Colours show their continental origin: Africa (brown), Asia (orange), Europe (red), North America (blue), and South America (green). Intermittent bars show uncertain temporal range. |
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| (B) Barremian world map showing the distribution of the localities with Anhangueria remains: (1) Hastings Group (late Berriasian/Valanginian), England; (2) Hami, Tugulu Group (?Berriasian-Albian), Xinjiang, China; (3) Bol’shoi Kemchug, lower Ilek Formation (?Hauterivian-Barremian) Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia; (4) Las Hoyas, La Huérgina Formation (Barremian), Cuenca, Spain; (5) Los Quiñones, Blesa Formation (Barremian), Teruel, Spain; (6) Isle of Wight, Wessex Formation (Barremian), England; |
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| (C) Albian world map showing the distribution of the localities with Anhangueria remains: (7) Mogoito, Murtoi Formation (Aptian), Buryatia, Russia; (8) Sekmenevka Formation (Aptian), Belgorod Oblast, Russia; (9) Jiufotang Formation (Aptian), Liaoning, China; (10) Elrhaz Formation (Aptian), Niger; (11) Krasnyi Yar, Khilok Formation (Aptian), Buryatia, Russia; (12) Pedra Furada, Recôncavo Basin, Marizal Formation? (Aptian), Bahia, Brazil; (13) Sierra de Perijá, Apón Formation (Aptian), Zulia, Venezuela; (13) Crato Formation (late Aptian), Ceará, Brazil; (15) Khuren–Dukh, Dzun–Bayin Formation (Aptian-Albian), Mongolia; (16) Sheskatovo, upper Ilek Formation (Aptian-Albian), Kemerovo Oblast, Russia; (17) Chenini Formation (early Albian), Tunisia; (18) Romualdo Formation (Albian), Ceará, Brazil; (19) Lightning Ridge, Griman Creek Formation (Albian), New South Wales, Australia; (20) Tarrant County, Paw Paw Formation (Albian), Texas, USA; (21) Boulia, Toolebuc Formation (Albian), Queensland, Australia; (22) Cortes de Arenoso, Utrillas Formation (Albian), Valencia, Spain; (23) Cambridge Greensand (Cenomanian, but fossils Albian in age), England; (24) Hughenden, Mackunda Formation (late Albian), Queensland, Australia. Rose indicates purported remains associated within the clade Anhangueria. Red indicates taxa (referenced each one in A) within the clade Anhangueria. Palaeogeographic world maps modified after PALEOMAP Project (www.scotese.com). |
Borja Holgado, Rodrigo V. Pêgas, José Ignacio Canudo, Josep Fortuny, Taissa Rodrigues, Julio Company and Alexander W. A. Kellner. 2019. On A New Crested Pterodactyloid from the Early Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula and the Radiation of the Clade Anhangueria. Scientific Reports. volume 9, 4940. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41280-4
