An unusual edentulous pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Romualdo Formation of Brazil

Abstract

Numerous taxa make up the Early Cretaceous fauna of Brazil, including Ornithocheiroidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodromidae, Chaoyangopteridae and a purported member of Azhdarchidae. Dsungaripteridae has only been tentatively assumed to be present in the form of ‘Santanadactylus’ spixi. New study of NMSG SAO 251093 (a specimen referred to Thalassodromeus sethi) suggests it is a previously unknown species of dsungaripterid, Banguela oberlii, tax. nov., differing from Thalassodromeus and other pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil by a unique combination of characters, including an upturned jaw tip, a short dorsal mandibular symphyseal shelf (dmss), and an autapomorphic thin crest placed halfway along the fused mandibular symphysis without a keel along the ventral margin of the jaw. B. oberlii, tax. nov., is referred to Dsungaripteridae based on a dmss no longer than the ventral shelf, U-shaped caudal margin of the ventral shelf and lateral margins of the mandibular symphysis concave in dorsal view. B. oberlii, tax. nov., is the youngest known dsungaripterid, and expands known morphological diversity in the clade as well as the Early Cretaceous pterosaur fauna of South America.

Keywords::

• pterosaur
• Banguela oberlii
• Pterodactyloidea
• Dsungaripteridae
• Thalassodromeus

Acknowledgements

We cannot be more thankful than to Hr Urs Oberli, who owned NMSG SAO 251093, and also to Dr Toni Bürgin, director of the Naturmuseum St. Gallen, for arranging and accessioning of the specimen NMSG SAO 251093, and thus permitting this description. Special thanks are further due to Hr Urs Oberli for donating the specimen described herein to the NMSG. Extensive photographs of NMSG SAO 251093 were provided by Urs Oberli and by Dr André Veldmeijer (Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands); Oberli also provided a cast for examination to HBNC. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the assistance of Nicholas Gardner. Earlier drafts of this paper were aided by discussion with Mickey Mortimer and Nicholas Gardner (Marshall University, West Virginia, USA), the latter who was also a tireless editor. Dr John R. Hutchinson (Royal Veterinary College, London, UK), Nicholas Gardner and Andrea Cau (Museo di Storia Naturale, Milano, Italia) provided much needed support and discussion. Preliminary drafts were reviewed by anonymous reviewers, some who suggested more or less insubstantial changes to the manuscript; these have been taken into account where possible.