Araripesaurus
Encyclopedia
Araripesaurus was a pterosaur
, belonging to the Pterodactyloidea
, from the famous Santana Formation
of Brazil
, dating from the Lower Cretaceous
.
The genus was named in 1971 by Brazilian paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price
. The type species
is Araripesaurus castilhoi. The genus name refers to the Araripe Plateau. The specific name honours the collector Moacir Marques de Castilho, who in 1966 donated the chalk nodule containing the fossil. The holotype
, DNPM (DGM 529-R), consists of a partial wing, including distal fragments of the radius
and ulna
, carpals, all metacarpals and several digits. The specimen was a subadult. Its wing span was estimated at 2.2 metres. Of two other specimina, also consisting of wing fragments, it was by Price suggested that they possibly belonged to the genus; these were a third larger.
Price placed Araripesaurus in the Ornithocheiridae
. In 1971 Araripesaurus was the first pterosaur from the Santana Formation. Later other species were named from completer remains and this raised the question whether they could be identical to Araripesaurus. In 1991 researcher Alexander Kellner
concluded that Araripesaurus was identical to Santanadactylus
and that due to a lack of distinguishing features it could only be more generally classified as a pterodactyloid. In 2000 Kellner reassessed the genus and concluded that precisely because of such a lack of autapomorphies
(unique characters), it could not be synonymised with Santanadactylus and gave its position after a cladistic
analysis as close to Anhangueridae, more derived than Istiodactylus
. Kellner also indicated that Araripesaurus resembled Anhanguera
piscator in morphology
, be it considerably smaller.
In 1985 Peter Wellnhofer
has named a second species, Araripesaurus santanae; this and two unnamed Araripesaurus sp. indicated by Wellhofer, were in 1990 by Kellner moved to Anhanguera as Anhanguera santanae.
Pterosaur
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight...
, belonging to the Pterodactyloidea
Pterodactyloidea
Pterodactyloidea forms one of the two suborders of pterosaurs , and contains the most derived members of this group of flying reptiles...
, from the famous Santana Formation
Santana Formation
The Santana Formation is a geologic Lagerstätte in northeastern Brazil's Araripe Basin where the states of Pernambuco, Piauí and Ceará come together. The geological formation, named after the village of Santana do Cariri, lies at the base of the Araripe Plateau...
of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, dating from the Lower Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
.
The genus was named in 1971 by Brazilian paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price
Llewellyn Ivor Price
Llewellyn Ivor Price was one of the first Brazilian paleontologists.-Biography:Price's work contributed not only to the development of Brazilian but also to global paleontology...
. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Araripesaurus castilhoi. The genus name refers to the Araripe Plateau. The specific name honours the collector Moacir Marques de Castilho, who in 1966 donated the chalk nodule containing the fossil. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
, DNPM (DGM 529-R), consists of a partial wing, including distal fragments of the radius
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
and ulna
Ulna
The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form and runs parallel to the radius, which is shorter and smaller. In anatomical position The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form...
, carpals, all metacarpals and several digits. The specimen was a subadult. Its wing span was estimated at 2.2 metres. Of two other specimina, also consisting of wing fragments, it was by Price suggested that they possibly belonged to the genus; these were a third larger.
Price placed Araripesaurus in the Ornithocheiridae
Ornithocheiridae
Ornithocheiridae is a group of pterosaurs within the suborder Pterodactyloidea. They were among the last pterosaurs to possess teeth.-Classification:Listing of genera after Unwin , except where noted.* Family Ornithocheiridae** ?Aetodactylus...
. In 1971 Araripesaurus was the first pterosaur from the Santana Formation. Later other species were named from completer remains and this raised the question whether they could be identical to Araripesaurus. In 1991 researcher Alexander Kellner
Alexander Kellner
Alexander Wilhelm Armin Kellner is a Liechtensteinian/Brazilian paleontologist, a leading expert in the field of the study of pterosaurs....
concluded that Araripesaurus was identical to Santanadactylus
Santanadactylus
Santanadactylus was a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Aptian-age Romualdo Member of the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation, of Barra do Jardim, Araripe Plateau, Ceará Province, Brazil. Four species have been named, but today it is doubted they are part of the same genus...
and that due to a lack of distinguishing features it could only be more generally classified as a pterodactyloid. In 2000 Kellner reassessed the genus and concluded that precisely because of such a lack of autapomorphies
Autapomorphy
In cladistics, an autapomorphy is a distinctive anatomical feature, known as a derived trait, that is unique to a given terminal group. That is, it is found only in one member of a clade, but not found in any others or outgroup taxa, not even those most closely related to the group...
(unique characters), it could not be synonymised with Santanadactylus and gave its position after a cladistic
Cladistics
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades, which consist of an ancestor organism and all its descendants . For example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, and all descendants of their most recent common ancestor form a clade...
analysis as close to Anhangueridae, more derived than Istiodactylus
Istiodactylus
Istiodactylus was a medium sized pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous period.-History and species:In 1887 Harry Govier Seeley named the remains of a fossil pelvis discovered on the Isle of Wight, Ornithodesmus cluniculus, thinking it was a bird. In 1901 he considered that it might have been a...
. Kellner also indicated that Araripesaurus resembled Anhanguera
Anhangüera
Anhangüera originates from a word in the Tupi language which was the nickname given by Brazilian Indians to an explorer and "bandeirante", Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva .It may also refer to:* Anhanguera, Goiás, a municipality in the state of Goiás...
piscator in morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, be it considerably smaller.
In 1985 Peter Wellnhofer
Peter Wellnhofer
Peter Wellnhofer is a German paleontologist at the "Bayerische Staatssammlung fur Paläontologie" in Munich. He is best known for his work on the various fossil specimens of Archaeopteryx or "Urvogel", the first known bird...
has named a second species, Araripesaurus santanae; this and two unnamed Araripesaurus sp. indicated by Wellhofer, were in 1990 by Kellner moved to Anhanguera as Anhanguera santanae.
Literature
- Price, L.L., 1971, "A Presença de Pterosauria no Cretáceo Inferior da Chapada do Araripe, Brasil", Anais Academia Brasileira Ciencias, 43: 451-461