Cretaceous pterosaur history, diversity and extinction

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

A new ornithocheirid pterosaur (Pterosauria: Ornithocheiridae) from the mid-Cretaceous Ifezouane Formation, Kem Kem Group of Morocco

Cretaceous Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 106015 - 106015

Published: Oct. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

Reassessment of an azhdarchid pterosaur specimen from the Mifune Group, Upper Cretaceous of Japan

Cretaceous Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 167, P. 106046 - 106046

Published: Nov. 16, 2024

Language: Английский