[Paleontology • 2024] Torukjara bandeirae & Caiuajara dobruskii • A Taxonomic Note on the tapejarid Pterosaurs from the Pterosaur Graveyard Site (Caiuá Group, ?Early Cretaceous of Southern Brazil): Evidence for the Presence of Two Species

Torukjara bandeirae

 Pêgas, 2024

DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2355664

 x.com/pegasaurus_42

Artwork by Matheus F. Gadelha

 

ABSTRACT

The Caiuá Group (Cretaceous of Southern Brazil) is famous for the Pterosaur Graveyard site, a location that has yielded hundreds of tapejarid specimens, among other taxa. Previous works had already presented various specimens of Pterosaur Graveyard (PG) tapejarids, reporting on several cranial elements showing substantial anatomical variations. These variations have been interpreted as intraspecific in nature, with all tapejarid specimens having been attributed to a single species, Caiuajara dobruskii. The present contribution reassesses the morphological diversity found in PG tapejarid specimens. Evidence is provided for the interpretation of several variations as interspecific in nature, particularly regarding rostral, palatal, occipital, and third cervical morphology. The present data indicate a segregation of the PG tapejarid specimens between two consistent morphotypes, which are interpreted here as two distinct, coexisting species: Caiuajara dobruskii and Torukjara bandeirae gen. et sp. nov.

KEYWORDS: Pterosauria, Tapejaridae, taxonomy, osteology, morphological variation, Caiuá Group

 

Rodrigo V. Pêgas. 2024. A Taxonomic Note on the tapejarid Pterosaurs from the Pterosaur Graveyard Site (Caiuá Group, ?Early Cretaceous of Southern Brazil): Evidence for the Presence of Two Species. Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2355664

 x.com/pegasaurus_42/status/1800352377276653742

[Paleontology • 2021] Kariridraco dianae • A New Azhdarchoid Pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil and the Paleobiogeography of the Tapejaridae

Kariridraco dianae

Cerqueira, Santos, Marks, Sayão & Pinheiro, 2021

DOI:  10.4202/app.00848.2020 

 twitter.com/FeliPinheir 

 Artwork by Júlia d’Oliveira 

The Tapejaridae were an apparently worldwide distributed clade of edentulous pterosaurs, being a major component of several Lower Cretaceous terrestrial faunas. Despite their distribution across Gondwana and Laurasia, the oldest tapejarid remains were found in Barremian units from Europe, what led to the assumption that the clade originated in Eurasia and later dispersed southwards. Here we present a new tapejarid pterosaur species (Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov.) from the Lower Cretaceous Romualdo Formation of Brazil. The holotype (MPSC R 1056) comprises an incomplete, three dimensionally preserved skull, lower jaw, and cervical vertebrae. It shows a unique combination of features such as unusually tall and comparatively short nasoantorbital fenestrae, as well as a premaxillary crest forming an angle of about 45° with respect to main skull axis. Phylogenetic analyses recover the new taxon as a Tupuxuara-related Thalassodrominae, a clade of early-diverging tapejarids that were apparently indigenous to central Gondwana. The inclusion of the new taxon in current phylogenetic frameworks, in addition to similarity cluster analyses of Early Cretaceous tapejarid-bearing pterosaur faunas, indicate Gondwana as the most parsimonious origin center for Tapejaridae, and show that pterosaur communities were affected by large scale tectonic-driven vicariant events.

Key words: Pterosauria, Azhdarchoidea, phylogeny, biogeography, Cretaceous, Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin, Brazil.

Pterosauria Kaup, 1834 

Pterodactyloidea Plieninger, 1901 

Azhdarchoidea Nesov, 1984 (sensu Unwin 2003) 

Tapejaridae Kellner, 1989 

Thalassodrominae Kellner and Campos, 2007 

 

    

Genus Kariridraco nov.  

Etymology: After the Kariris, former indigenous people that lived in the area of the Araripe Plateau, combined with the Latin draco, dragon. 

Type species: Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov., 

 Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov. 

 Etymology: In reference to Diana Prince, alter ego of the DC fictional character Wonder Woman.

Diagnosis.— Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov. differs from all other pterosaurs for the following combination of characters (characters marked with * represent autapomorphies): presence of a subtle jugal shelf; comparatively short and tall nasoantorbital fenestra; premaxillary crest forming an angle of about 45° with respect to the maxilla*; lacrimal with an anteriorly-directed deep concavity*, and a single elliptic lateral pneumatic foramen in the left lateral surface of cervical IV centrum.

Fig. 11. Life reconstruction of azhdarchoid pterosaur Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov.

 Artwork by Júlia d’Oliveira (Jundiaí, Brazil).

 

 Conclusions:

Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov. (Fig. 11) has a set of diagnostic features that distinguishes it from other azhdarchoid pterosaurs, such as the presence of a concavity in the upper portion of the lacrimal and an angle of about 45° between the maxilla and the premaxillary crest. Kariridraco dianae gen. et sp. nov. was consistently recovered as a thalassodromine tapejarid, closely related to the well-known genus Tupuxuara. Our assessment of tapejarid paleobiogeography recovered Gondwana as the most parsimonious origin center for the Tapejaridae, also suggesting that, similarly to strictly terrestrial animals, pterosaur distribution is marked by tectonic-driven provincialism.

Gabriela M. Cerqueira, Mateus A.C. Santos, Maikon F. Marks, Juliana M. Sayão, and Felipe L. Pinheiro. 2021. A New Azhdarchoid Pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil and the Paleobiogeography of the Tapejaridae. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. in press. DOI:  10.4202/app.00848.2020

  twitter.com/FeliPinheir/status/1437895471134031878

 twitter.com/PaleoCisneros/status/1437894818265501698

[Paleontology • 2021] Tupandactylus navigans • Osteology of An Exceptionally Well-preserved Tapejarid (Pterosauria: Tapejaridae) Skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the Anatomy of A Curious Pterodactyloid Clade

Tupandactylus navigans (Frey, Martill & Buchy, 2003)

in Beccari, Pinheiro, ...et Costa, 2021.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254789

 twitter.com/BeccariVictor

Abstract

A remarkably well-preserved, almost complete and articulated new specimen (GP/2E 9266) of Tupandactylus navigans is here described for the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil. The new specimen comprises an almost complete skeleton, preserving both the skull and post-cranium, associated with remarkable preservation of soft tissues, which makes it the most complete tapejarid known thus far. CT-Scanning was performed to allow the assessment of bones still covered by sediment. The specimen can be assigned to Tupa. navigans due to its vertical supra-premaxillary bony process and short and rounded parietal crest. It also bears the largest dentary crest among tapejarine pterosaurs and a notarium, which is absent in other representatives of the clade. The new specimen is here regarded as an adult individual. This is the first time that postcranial remains of Tupa. navigans are described, being also an unprecedented record of an articulated tapejarid skeleton from the Araripe Basin.

Systematic palaeontology

Pterosauria Kaup, 1834

Pterodactyloidea Plieninger, 1901

Tapejaridae Kellner, 1989

Tapejarinae Kellner & Campos, 2007 

Tupandactylus Kellner & Campos, 2007 

Tupandactylus navigans (Frey, Martill & Buchy, 2003)

Material. GP/2E 9266, an almost complete skeleton with associated soft tissue remains

Horizon and locality: Crato Formation, Santana Group, Araripe Basin, NE-Brazil. Early Cretaceous (Albian). Exact locality undetermined.

Revised diagnosis.

Tupandactylus navigans can be distinguished from other tapejarid pterosaurs by 1) previously defined autapomorphies: premaxillomaxilla concave anteriorly; a striated premaxillary crest; supra-premaxillary bony process perpendicular to the long axis of the skull; parietal crest short and rounded; 2) autapomorphies identified in GP/2E 9266: anteriorly deflected expansion of premaxillary crest; deep and blade-shaped dentary crest with subvertical posterior margin; lateral surfaces of cervical vertebrae postzygapophyses with longitudinal grooves.

Fig 5. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 non-ossified tissue.
Photograph soft-tissue elements.

Abbreviations: apex, apical-most point; lrmp, lower jaw rhamphotheca; sgc, sagittal crest; spmp, supra-premaxillary bony process; trab, trabecular bone; urmp, upper jaw rhamphotheca. Scale bar = 50 mm.

Fig 1. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266.
Photo of specimen (A); 3D model of specimen (B).

Abbreviations: atax, atlas-axis complex; cav, caudal vertebrae; cv, cervical vertebrae; d4, digit four; dc, dentary crest; dov, dorsal vertebrae; f, femur; hu, humerus; il, ilium; isc, ischium; ma, manus; mc, metacarpal; naof, nasoantorbital fenestra; not, notarium; p, pubis; pe, pes; pmc, premaxillary crest; pt, pteroid; rad, radius; sac, sacral vertebrae; sc, scapulocoracoid; spmp, supra-premaxilar bony process; st, sternum; tar, tarsals; tf, tibiofibula; ul, ulna. Scale bar = 50 mm.

Fig 16. Skeletal mount of Tupandactylus navigans specimen GP/2E 9266.
Skeletal mount of all bony elements recovered with the image segmentation of specimen GP/2E 9266. Scale bar = 50 mm.

Living interpretative reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans based on specimen GP/2E 9266.

    

 Skeletal reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans based on specimen GP/2E 9266
 in lateral (A) and dorsal (B) views.

Scale bar = 50 mm.

Victor Beccari, Felipe Lima Pinheiro, Ivan Nunes, Luiz Eduardo Anelli, Octávio Mateus and Fabiana Rodrigues Costa. 2021. Osteology of An Exceptionally Well-preserved Tapejarid Skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the Anatomy of A Curious Pterodactyloid Clade. PLoS ONE. 16(8): e0254789. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254789

 twitter.com/BeccariVictor/status/1430591116936630282

[Paleontology • 2020] Afrotapejara zouhri • A New Tapejarid (Pterosauria, Azhdarchoidea) from the mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem Beds of Takmout, southern Morocco

Afrotapejara zouhri

Martill, Smith, Unwin, Kao, McPhee & Ibrahim, 2020

  DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104424 

Abstract

A new pterosaur, Afrotapejara zouhri gen. et sp. is described on the basis of a partial rostral fragment from the Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Takmout, near Erfoud in southern Morocco. The taxon is distinguished from all other Tapejaridae on the possession of a dorsal expansion of the rostral margin a short distance from the rostral tip. Tapejarid features include a downturned rostrum (autapomorphic), edentuly, expansion of the rostral median crest (autapomorphic) and the presence of small foramina on the lateral margins and occlusal surface. The new specimen is the fourth edentulous pterosaur taxon from the Kem Kem beds and is the first unambiguous occurrence of Tapejaridae in Africa.

Keywords: Pterosauria, Azhdarchoidea, Tapejaridae, Cretaceous, Africa, Morocco

Fig. 4. Holotype (specimen number FSAC-KK 5004) partial rostrum of Afrotapejara zouhri gen. et sp. nov. from the Kem Kem beds of Ikhf N’ Taqmout, Errachidia Province, southern Morocco.
A, right lateral view; B, left lateral view; C, occlusal view; D, dorsal view;

Scale bar = 50 mm.

Systematic palaeontology 

PTEROSAURIA Kaup, 1834 

MONOFENESTRATA Lü et al., 2009 

PTERODACTYLOIDEA Plieninger, 1901 

AZHDARCHOIDEA Nessov, 1984 

TAPEJARIDAE Kellner, 1989 

Genus AFROTAPEJARA gen. nov.

Derivation of generic name. A combination of Afro for Africa and tapejara from the Brazilian pterosaur Tapejara. 

Afrotapejara zouhri gen. et sp. 

Derivation of specific name. After Dr Samir Zouhri, Moroccan palaeontologist based in Casablanca who has helped us so much in our work in Morocco. 

 David M. Martill, Roy Smith, David M. Unwin, Alexander Kao, James McPhee and Nizar Ibrahim. 2020. A New Tapejarid (Pterosauria, Azhdarchoidea) from the mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem Beds of Takmout, southern Morocco. Cretaceous Research. 112, 104424.  DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104424 

twitter.com/ATiredPterosaur/status/1245747576638488576

Ibrahim helps discover new species of flying reptile from 100 million years ago

 udmercy.edu/about/news/articles/2020/04-02-nizar-ibrahim.php

 port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/fourth-new-pterosaur-discovery-in-matter-of-weeks

[Paleontology • 2014] Caiuajara dobruskii • Discovery of a Rare Pterosaur Bone Bed in a Cretaceous Desert with Insights on Ontogeny and Behavior of Flying Reptiles

three ontogenetic (growth) stages of the new pterosaur Caiuajara dobruskii
The skeletons of both adults and juvenile Caiuajara have bony protrusions in front of their eyes and crests on their heads.

 ILLUSTRATION Maurilio Oliveira/Museu Nacional-UFRJ

Abstract

A pterosaur bone bed with at least 47 individuals (wing spans: 0.65–2.35 m) of a new species is reported from southern Brazil from an interdunal lake deposit of a Cretaceous desert, shedding new light on several biological aspects of those flying reptiles. The material represents a new pterosaur, Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov., that is the southermost occurrence of the edentulous clade Tapejaridae (Tapejarinae, Pterodactyloidea) recovered so far. Caiuajara dobruskii differs from all other members of this clade in several cranial features, including the presence of a ventral sagittal bony expansion projected inside the nasoantorbital fenestra, which is formed by the premaxillae; and features of the lower jaw, like a marked rounded depression in the occlusal concavity of the dentary. Ontogenetic variation of Caiuajara dobruskii is mainly reflected in the size and inclination of the premaxillary crest, changing from small and inclined (~115°) in juveniles to large and steep (~90°) in adults. No particular ontogenetic features are observed in postcranial elements. The available information suggests that this species was gregarious, living in colonies, and most likely precocial, being able to fly at a very young age, which might have been a general trend for at least derived pterosaurs.

Systematic Paleontology

Pterosauria Kaup, 1834

Pterodactyloidea Plieninger, 1901

Azhdarchoidea Nessov, 1984

Tapejaridae Kellner, 1989

Tapejarinae Kellner, 1989 sensu Kellner & Campos 

Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: Combination of Caiuá and Tapejara, the internal specifier of the Tapejarinae; species honors Alexandre Dobruski, who with his son, João Dobruski, found the new site back in 1971.

Type locality, horizon and age: Cruzeiro do Oeste, Paraná State, Brazil; Bauru Basin, Caiuá Group, Goio-Erê Formation, Upper Cretaceous

Paulo C. Manzig, Alexander W. A. Kellner, Luiz C. Weinschütz, Carlos E. Fragoso, Cristina S. Vega, Gilson B. Guimarães, Luiz C. Godoy, Antonio Liccardo, João H. Z. Ricetti and Camila C. de Moura. 2014. Discovery of a Rare Pterosaur Bone Bed in a Cretaceous Desert with Insights on Ontogeny and Behavior of Flying Reptiles. PLOS ONE. 9(8): e100005. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100005

Bones from nearly 50 ancient flying reptiles discovered

 A stash of buried bones in Brazil has allowed scientists to identify a new species of flying dinosaur that soared in the skies 66 to 100 million years ago, a study said Wednesday.

http://phys.org/news/2014-08-stash-bones-reveals-species-dinosaur.html

New Flying Reptile Found in"Unprecedented" Pterosaur Boneyard

Forty-seven pterosaur skeletons unearthed at Brazilian site  http://on.natgeo.com/1r9D7uu via @NatGeo