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The first dsungaripterid pterosaur from the Kimmeridgian of Germany and the biomechanics of pterosaur long bones

100%

Fastnacht M.

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

2005

tom 50

nr 2

A partial vertebral column, pelvis and femora of a newly discovered pterosaur are described. The remains from the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of Oker (northern Germany) can be identified as belonging to the Dsungaripteridae because the cross−sections of the bones have relatively thick walls. The close resemblance in morphology to the Lower Cretaceous Dsungaripterus allows identification of the specimen as the first and oldest record of dsungaripterids in Central Europe. Furthermore, it is the oldest certain record of a dsungaripterid pterosaur world wide. The biomechanical characteristics of the dsungaripterid long bone construction shows that it has less resistance against bending and torsion than in non−dsungaripteroid pterosaurs, but has greater strength against compression and local buckling. This supports former suggestions that dsungaripterids inhabited continental areas that required an active way of life including frequent take−off and landing phases. The reconstruction of the lever arms of the pelvic musculature and the mobility of the femur indicates a quadrupedal terrestrial locomotion.

Anatomy and relationships of the Triassic temnospondyl Sclerothorax

51%

Schoch R. R., Fastnacht M., Fichter J., Keller T.

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

2007

tom 52

nr 1

Recently, new material of the peculiar tetrapod Sclerothorax hypselonotusfrom the Middle Buntsandstein (Olenekian) of north−central Germany has emerged that reveals the anatomy of the skull and anterior postcranial skeleton in detail. Despite differences in preservation, all previous plus the new finds of Sclerothorax are identified as belonging to the same taxon. Sclerothorax is characterized by various autapomorphies (subquadrangular skull being widest in snout region, extreme height of thoracal neural spines in mid−trunk region, rhomboidal interclavicle longer than skull). Despite its peculiar skull roof, the palate and mandible are consistent with those of capitosauroid stereospondyls in the presence of large muscular pockets on the basal plate, a flattened edentulous parasphenoid, a long basicranial suture, a large hamate process in the mandible, and a falciform crest in the occipital part of the cheek. In order to elucidate the phylogenetic position of Sclerothorax, we performed a cladistic analysis of 18 taxa and 70 characters from all parts of the skeleton. According to our results, Sclerothorax is nested well within the higher stereospondyls, forming the sister taxon of capitosauroids. Palaeobiologically, Sclerothorax is interesting for its several characters believed to correlate with a terrestrial life, although this is contrasted by the possession of well−established lateral line sulci.

Ograniczanie wyników

2 Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

2 Fastnacht M.

1 Fichter J.

1 Keller T.

1 Schoch R. R.

1 2007

1 2005

Wyniki wyszukiwania

The first dsungaripterid pterosaur from the Kimmeridgian of Germany and the biomechanics of pterosaur long bones

Anatomy and relationships of the Triassic temnospondyl Sclerothorax