A new species of crested pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea, Anhangueridae) from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) of Richmond, North West Queensland, Australia

ABSTRACT

Pterosaur fossils from Australia are exceptionally rare. Since the discovery of the continent’s first pterosaur some 40 years ago, fewer than 20 specimens have been described. The Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) Toolebuc Formation of North West Queensland is the most productive horizon for Australian pterosaurs. Herein, we describe a new species of pterosaur, Thapunngaka shawi gen. et sp. nov., from the Toolebuc Formation, near Richmond, North West Queensland. The specimen (KKF494) comprises the rostral portion of a crested mandible and represents the largest pterosaur yet described from Australia. The new species presents features that indicate an affinity with Anhangueridae, which is consistent with their reported cosmopolitan distribution during this period. Thapunngaka shawi can be distinguished from other anhanguerids through the possession of a mandible with a smooth dorsal surface medially and uniquely sized alveoli that are positioned laterally along the jaw. Phylogenetic analysis reveals a close relationship among all Australian anhanguerids and points to an endemic Australian radiation within Anhangueridae. Thapunngaka shawi has the largest mandibular crest of any anhanguerian worldwide, and provides further evidence for the existence of an increasingly diverse range of large crested pterosaurs in the Australian part of eastern Gondwana during the Cretaceous.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank M. Johnston and the staff at K.K. for allowing T.M.R. access to the Thapunngaka shawi holotype. We also thank Q.M. staff K. Spring, S. Hocknull and A. Rozefelds for allowing T.M.R. access to the Mythunga camara and Aussiedraco molnari holotype specimens. T.M.R. would like to personally thank B. Andres, M. Habib, T. Rodrigues, D. Hone, J. Ristevski, J. Nair, A. Faith, L. Mitchell, A. Romilio, V. Weisbecker and A. Jannel for useful discussions and suggestions. Special thanks to R. Molnar for providing unpublished material and support. The Willi Hennig Society is thanked for making TNT freely available. This research was supported by the Australian Government’s Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) – National Taxonomy Research Grant Programme (NTRGP). We express our gratitude to D. Hone and R. Pêgas for their comments and suggestions that greatly improved this manuscript. We also acknowledge the people of the Wanamara Nation and their custodianship of the lands on which the holotype was found, and pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country. We recognize their valuable contributions to Australian and global society.