A new toothless pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota with comments on the Chaoyangopteridae

作者：Xiaolin Wang, Alexander W. A. Kellner, Shunxing Jiang, He Chen, Fabiana Rodrigues Costa, Xin Cheng, Xinjun Zhang, Bruno C. Vila Nova, Diógenes de Almeida Campos, Juliana Manso Sayão, Taissa Rodrigues, Renan Alfredo Machado Bantim, Antônio Álamo Feitosa Saraiva, Zhonghe Zhou · 发表于：Scientific Reports · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1038/s41598-023-48076-7 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology、Ichthyology and Marine Biology、Evolution and Paleontology Studies

The Chaoyangopteridae is a clade of azhdarchoid pterosaurs that stands out in China, particularly in the Jehol Biota, as a Cretaceous group of medium-sized and high-crested pterosaurs. Herein, we describe a new species, Meilifeilong youhao gen. et sp. nov., based on two specimens, one tentatively referred to this taxon. This new species represents the most complete and well-preserved chaoyangopterid recorded to date. Along with a set of characters (low premaxillary crest above the nasoantorbital fenestra extending posteriorly, posterior premaxillary process arched and curving posteriorly, a slightly convex sternal articulation surface of coracoid, and a fibular shaft close to proximal articulation strongly arched posteriorly), this species also provides new information both on the unknown palatal region of this clade, and on the rarely preserved (in place) ear portion with stapes. Moreover, M. youhao sheds light on paleoecological aspects, while also giving new information about the taxonomic diversity of this peculiar group of Jiufotang pterosaurs.