Cryodrakon boreas, gen. et sp. nov., a Late Cretaceous Canadian azhdarchid pterosaur

ABSTRACT

Azhdarchid pterosaurs have been known since 1972 from upper Campanian deposits of Alberta, Canada. Originally represented by only very fragmentary remains tentatively assigned to the genus Quetzalcoatlus, additional material uncovered over the years has revealed that the taxonomic identity of the Alberta pterosaur material is at odds with this in the light of the growing understanding of azhdarchid diversity. Here, we describe previously undocumented pterosaur remains from Alberta and reassess previously studied material. The specimens collected from the Dinosaur Park Formation can be assigned to a new genus and species Cryodrakon boreas, gen. et sp. nov. The largest elements referable to this taxon suggest that this genus reached sizes comparable to those of other giant azhdarchids.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank G. Housego and B. Strilisky for access to material; R. Knell, R. Nagesan, and A. Knapp for photographs and photogrammetry; M. Witton for discussions of azhdarchid taxonomy and images; and S. Godfrey for permission to use their drawings in Figures 1 and 2 and in Supplemental Data 2. We thank D. Martill, D. Naish, and editor G. Bever for their comments, which helped improve an earlier version of the manuscript.