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| the pterosaur assemblage Kem Kem Group river system. in Smith, Ibrahim, Longrich, Unwin, ... et Martill, 2023. Artwork by Emily Pilavachi |
Abstract
The pterosaur assemblage of the mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of Morocco is reviewed. This analysis examines their taxonomy, palaeoecology and palaeobiology with comments on taphonomy. New material permits the rediagnosis of the azhdarchoids Alanqa saharica and Afrotapejara zouhrii. Several specimens are reported that do not fit within the paradigms of previously named taxa. They represent three distinct jaw morphotypes, but are not assigned to new taxa here. The assemblage is highly diverse, including four tooth-bearing taxa assigned to Ornithocheiridae and five named taxa and three additional morphotypes assigned to Azhdarchoidea. The Kem Kem Group assemblage is the most diverse for any pterosaur-bearing fluvial deposit and one of the most diverse of any pterosaur assemblage. The assemblage is heavily biased in terms of preservation with an as yet unexplained high abundance of jaw fragments. We highlight the importance of fragmentary material in pterosaur studies.
Keywords: Pterosauria, Taxonomy, Palaeoecology, Kem Kem Group, Morocco
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| Simplified reconstruction of the pterosaur assemblage Kem Kem Group river system. 1. Leptostomia begaaensis; 2. Apatorhamphus gyrostega; 3. Alanqa saharica; 4. Xericeps curvirostris; 5. Afrotapejara zouhrii; 6. Ornithocheirus simus; 7. Coloborhynchus fluviferox; 8. Anhanguera piscator; 9. Siroccopteryx moroccensis; 10. Spinosaurus aegyptiacus; 11. rebbachisaurid sauropods; 12 a tree-like representation of Welwitschiophyllum. Artwork by Emily Pilavachi |
Roy E. Smith, Nizar Ibrahim, Nicholas Longrich, David M. Unwin, Megan L. Jacobs, Cariad J. Williams, Samir Zouhri and David M. Martill. 2023. The Pterosaurs of the Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of Morocco. PalZ. DOI: 10.1007/s12542-022-00642-6
