Proceedings of the Geologists Association, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: Oct. 1, 2024
Language: Английский
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: Feb. 28, 2025
Language: Английский
Citations
0
Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 112908 - 112908
Published: March 1, 2025
Language: Английский
Citations
0
Current Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: May 1, 2025
Fossilized tracks have provided unique insights into the distribution, behavior, and ecology of extinct taxa. Moreover, because they are abundant often distinct distributions in time space compared with body fossil record, considerable potential for testing extending macroevolutionary hypotheses. The key to unlocking this vast lies reliably linking their producers, but remains a persistent challenge. This limitation is particularly evident among pterosaurs, dominant flying vertebrates Mesozoic. Despite an extensive record pterosaur spanning more than 100 million years, identities trackmakers unclear most cases, limiting use addressing questions about evolution. In study, we employ quantitative analyses diagnostic features pedal anatomy directly link three track morphotypes specific pterodactyloid clades: ctenochasmatoids, dsungaripterids, neoazhdarchians. These results considerably extend known biogeographic distribution these clades, supporting ecological hypotheses derived from record. absence prior Middle Jurassic supports evidence hand foot morphology indicating that early pterosaurs were arboreal or scansorial. Track demonstrates major radiation terrestrial niches beginning Jurassic. Successive clades maintained strong presence across diverse environments throughout latter half Mesozoic, highlighting evolutionary versatility significance environments.
Language: Английский
Citations
0
Geological Society London Special Publications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 544(1)
Published: Feb. 2, 2024
Abstract Pterosaurs, the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight, dominated Mesozoic skies from Late Triassic end Cretaceous, a span of around 154 Myr (∼220–66 Ma). They achieved their greatest diversity in mid-Cretaceous and had become globally distributed, even occurring at high latitudes wide range habitats. The pterosaur record is by occurrences conservation Lagerstätten just handful countries narrow temporal windows, most notably China, Germany Brazil, Middle–Upper Jurassic mid-Cretaceous. During two major clades evolved edentulism, such that no toothed pterosaurs survived, having extinct mid-Cenomanian. A distinctive aspect evolution during was achievement gigantic wingspans, perhaps excess 10 m, hyper-elongation neck vertebrae Azhdarchidae, highly elaborate cranial crests. For many years, terminal stage Cretaceous regarded as low, but discoveries last few decades have indicated taxic remained until Maastrichtian, although morphological may been low. demise Pterosauria K/Pg boundary likely due same causes coeval dinosaur extinction associated with Chicxulub bolide impact its environmental repercussions. Faunal replacement avians longer considered significant factor extinction.
Language: Английский
Citations
3
Geological Society London Special Publications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 545(1)
Published: June 28, 2024
The Cretaceous marine sediments of Morocco and adjacent coastal basins provide an outstanding archive environmental diversity from extended shelf seas marginal along the Atlantic Tethyan margins to deep oceanic western Tethys eastern Ocean. geological highlights Morocco's fascinating landscape include records Lower deep-water clastic sequences in Rif mountain chain (submarine fan systems Massylian Mauretanian flysch units), as well siliciclastic sedimentary subsiding (TanTan Delta), which extend offshore NW African margin. Vestiges Aptian Turonian greenhouse climate, sea-level highstands anoxic events are exceptionally preserved successions Rif, transgressive pulses on Moroccan Meseta, Sahara platform High Atlas rift system. Furthermore, expressions tectonic movements between European plates associated with end climate changes documented chain, basins, massive phosphorite sedimentation Middle Atlas, Meseta platform. archives still retain untapped potential further contribute our understanding global eustatic response oceans biota upwelling driven oxygen minimum zones under conditions.
Language: Английский
Citations
3
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: Oct. 16, 2024
Ornithocheiroidea was a globally diverse group of pterosaurs during the Cretaceous. However, well-documented ornithocheiroids are highly derived, hampering our understanding on morphological evolution this clade. Dsungaripterus weii Young, 1964 from Lower Cretaceous Tugulu Group (Valanginian) Junggar Basin is an iconic early member Ornithocheiroidea. known numerous three-dimensionally preserved specimens, ranging isolated bones to partially articulated individuals. Here we provide comprehensive description postcranium Dsungaripterus. We find that has many autapomorphies in postcranial skeleton parallelling its unique skull, including asynchronous fusion between sacrum and pelvis posterodorsal fossa humerus with paper-thin bone wall. also displays some plesiomorphic features Ornithoecheiroidea, for example, limb relatively thick walls, variably reduced pneumatic cervical vertebrae appendicular skeletons, absence spinoprezygapophyseal spinopostzygapophyseal ridges middle-series vertebrae, at least one metacarpal articulating distal syncarpal, distally displaced adductor ridge femur. Additionally, possesses unexpected possibly convergent other members Although skeletons represented by osteologically mature notable variation present. Functional reconstructions several aspects elucidated, arrangement metacarpophalangeal region terrestrial locomotion. Niche partitioning two dsungaripterids Wuerho, Noripterus, supported their distinct dentitions, neck morphology, proportions.
Language: Английский
Citations
2
Evolving Earth, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 1, P. 100006 - 100006
Published: Aug. 9, 2023
Although diverse, disparate, widespread, and long-lived, our understanding of the Mesozoic pterosaurs is heavily biased by specimens from Konservat-Lagerstätten. Here we consider pterosaur assemblage mid-Cretaceous Kem Group southeast Morocco compare its taphonomy to other Cretaceous pterosaur-bearing assemblages. The bones are usually fragmentary isolated but preserved three-dimensionally, with excellent preservation macroscopic internal structures bone histology at ultrastructural levels. dominated azhdarchoid jaw fragments, all anterior nasoantorbital fenestra divergence mandibular rami. Post-cranial elements much rarer a striking lack syncarpals, despite being some most robust skeleton. Comparisons similar deposits in United Kingdom, Uzbekistan USA suggest that this relative skeletal abundance unusual for perceived overabundance material likely result combination factors including inherent mechanical strength jaws, selective predation scavenging transportation/hydrodynamic sorting elements. should be considered Konzentrat-Lagerstätte due high vertebrate material. Despite nature material, it has microscopic scales. among species diverse known, taphonomic processes biases obscure true diversity.
Language: Английский
Citations
6
Proceedings of the Geologists Association, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 134(3), P. 269 - 275
Published: April 4, 2023
An isolated jaw fragment from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Cambridge Greensand Member of West Melbury Marly Chalk Formation previously identified as a cestraciontid shark fin spine is referred to pterosaur clade Azhdarchoidea on account its lateral and occlusal foramina edentuly. The specimen differs azhdarchoid Ornithostoma sedgwicki same deposit in having flat surfaces an acute dorsal/ventral apex. similar overall morphology CAMSM B40085 horizon probably represents corresponding but different individual. Likely these specimens represent new taxon are considered too fragmentary diagnose at present. A remarkably distinctive found unnamed jaws Kem Group (?Albian-Cenomanian) Morocco, supporting idea faunal similarity between two distant localities.
Language: Английский
Citations
3
Cretaceous Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 154, P. 105740 - 105740
Published: Oct. 6, 2023
Herein, we describe a second specimen of Thapunngaka shawi, large pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) Toolebuc Formation North West Queensland, Australia. The new (KKF600) consists anteriormost portion an incomplete premaxillary/maxillary rostrum embedded in matrix and caudal fragment preserving left maxillary rostrum. KKF600 shares with holotype (KKF494) near identical features pertaining to alveolar morphology patterning, complementary similarities between palatal dentary occlusal surfaces, respectively. Subsequently, present revised diagnosis shawi. A phylogenetic analysis recovers clade formed by genera Thapunngaka, Ferrodraco Mythunga. recognition this clade, Mythungini, points possible East Gondwanan radiation within Tropeognathinae.
Language: Английский
Citations
3
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 202(2)
Published: Oct. 1, 2024
Abstract The Kem Group is a lowermost lithostratigraphic unit from the Upper Cretaceous that extends along border between Algeria and Morocco, in northern region of Africa. This geological has yielded several tetrapod fossils, including well-represented assemblage theropod dinosaurs, after more than eight decades research. Here, we report new occurrences spinosaurid theropods spinosaurine clade by providing anatomical descriptions taxonomic identifications 11 specimens derived Tafilalt Morocco. Among findings, describe cervical vertebra Sigilmassasaurus, addition to cranial, axial, appendicular elements can safely be attributed Spinosaurinae. Moreover, based on unique combination characteristics, also an isolated partial ischium belonging indeterminate carcharodontosaurid. We deliver detailed redescription one most complete snouts known date. Therefore, dinosaurs show considerable diversity, but many questions, especially related diversity spinosaurids general abundance carnivorous this region, remain unclear until materials are discovered made.
Language: Английский
Citations
0