[Paleontology • 2022] Evolutionary Pressures of Aerial Insectivory reflected in anurognathid Pterosaurs

 

in Clark & Hone, 2022. 

 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13814 

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Artwork by Rudolf Himawan

Abstract

Across the evolution of powered flight, the ecological niche of aerial insectivore has been occupied by members of the three volant vertebrate clades—Aves and Chiroptera, and the first known volant vertebrates, pterosaurs. However, morphological and quantitative evidence to support pterosaurs exhibiting this ecology remains scant. Anurognathids are an unusual group of pterosaurs in which the skull exhibits the unique morphology of being mediolaterally expanded, so much so that their skulls may be wider than rostrocaudally long. Here, we conduct quantitative comparative cranial measurements and dental morphology in anurognathids against extant avian and chiropteran taxa, respectively, with ecologies and behaviors that are similar to predicted putative behaviors of anurognathids. Comparative analyses of both skull and dental morphology suggest anurognathid specimens in similar morphospaces as insectivorous crepuscular and nocturnal extant volant taxa. Our results support that this unique group of pterosaurs likely occupied a niche of mid-flight insectivorous capture in low-light conditions.

  

 

Alexander D. Clark and David W. E. Hone. 2022. Evolutionary Pressures of Aerial Insectivory reflected in anurognathid Pterosaurs. Journal of Anatomy. DOI: 10.1111/joa.13814

Anurognathid pterosaurs ate insects at night

 archosaurmusings.wordpress.com/2023/01/02/anurognathid-pterosaurs-ate-insects-at-night/

  twitter.com/Dave_Hone/status/1609904319934889985

[Paleontology • 2017] Vesperopterylus lamadongensis • A New Anurognathid Pterosaur with Evidence of Perching Behaviour from Jianchang of Liaoning Province, China

Vesperopterylus lamadongensis

Lü, Meng, Wang, Liu, Shen & Zhang, 2017

Illustration: Z. Chuang.  DOI: 10.1144/SP455.16  

Abstract

A new anurognathid pterosaur, Vesperopterylus lamadongensis gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on a complete skeleton with a skull preserved. It is characterized by two short distinct ridges present on the ventral surface of the cervical vertebrae; coracoids slightly longer than scapula; humerus, wing phalanx 3 and tibia nearly the same in length; grooves clearly present on the posterior surface of the wing phalanges 1–3; and the first toe reversed. It is the first anurognathid pterosaur from China with a definitively short tail, and the first pterosaur with a reversed first toe. The reversed first toe of Vesperopterylus indicates that it had arboreal habitats. The discovery of Vesperopterylus lamadongensis from the Jiufotang Formation strongly expands the geological age range for anurognathid pterosaurs.

Systematic palaeontology 

Pterosauria Kaup, 1834 

Anurognathidae Kuhn 1937

 Vesperopterylus lamadongensis gen. et sp. nov.

 Etymology. Vesper-, Latin word for ‘dusk’ implying that the new pterosaur may seek food at dusk; -pteryl, Latin word for ‘wing’. The specific name is referred to the fossil locality, lamadong of Jianchang County, Liaoning Province. 

Type specimen. An almost complete skeleton with skull and jaws (BMNHC-PH-001311). The specimen is now stored in the Beijing Museum of Natural History.

 Locality and horizon. Lamadong goumen, Jianchang County, Liaoning Province; Jiufotang Formation.

Fig. 5. The living scene of Versperopterylus lamadongensis

 (Illustration: Zhao Chuang). 

  DOI: 10.1144/SP455.16 

Conclusion 

Vesperopterylus is the first anurognathid pterosaur from China preserved with a clearly reduced tail, and it is also the youngest anurognathid pterosaur in geological age. The reversed first toe of Vesperopterylus may indicate that it, perhaps, has a gripping adaptation. 

Junchang Lü, Qingjin Meng, Baopeng Wang, Di Liu, Caizhi Shen and Yuguang Zhang. 2017. Short Note On A New Anurognathid Pterosaur with Evidence of Perching Behaviour from Jianchang of Liaoning Province, China. in  D. W. E. Hone, M. P. Witton and D. M. Martill (eds) New Perspectives on Pterosaur Palaeobiology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 455. DOI: 10.1144/SP455.16 

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