Chaoyangopterus was named and described in 2003 by Wang Xiaolin and Zhou Zhonghe. The type species is Chaoyangopterus zhangi. The genus name is derived from Chaoyang and a Latinized Greek pteron, "wing". The specific name honors journalist Zhang Wanlian for his efforts in protecting fossil sites.
Description
Chaoyangopterus is based on holotypeIVPP V13397, which includes the front of the skull, the lower jaws, the neck vertebrae, the shoulder and pelvic girdles, and the limbs. The skull is about 270 millimetres (11 inches) long and toothless, and its wingspan is estimated to have been around 1.85 meters (6.1 feet). Wang and Zhou concluded that it compared most closely to Nyctosaurus and classified it as a nyctosaurid, although they found that its shin was proportionally longer compared to the femur and humerus in Chaoyangopterus, that their animal had relatively shorter wings and longer legs than Nyctosaurus, and that it still had four fingers.[1]
Classification
The classification of Chaoyangopterus has since become unsettled, with subsequent reviewers disagreeing with the nyctosaurid assessment. David Unwin, in a popular work, included it without comment with the tapejarid family of azhdarchoid pterosaurs,[2] known for their large head crests. A detailed phylogenetic analysis of Liaoning pterosaurs published by Lü Junchang and Ji Qiang in 2006 found it instead to be a basal azhdarchoid of no particular familial affiliation.[3] However, subsequent analysis by Lü and Unwin found that within the Azhdarchoidea it formed a clade with several other forms such as Jidapterus and Shenzhoupterus, which they named Chaoyangopteridae.[4]
Wang and Zhou, however, stated in 2006 that Chaoyangopterus was a member of the Pteranodontidae and that Jidapterus, Eoazhdarcho and Eopteranodon are subjective junior synonyms of the former.[5] This interpretation was not supported by a 2017 redescription of Jidapterus, which was able to reliably distinguish all of these genera.[6]
Below are two cladograms showing the phylogenetic placement of Chaoyangopterus within the Azhdarchoidea. The one on the left is a topology by Felipe Pinheiro and colleagues in 2011, they recovered Chaoyangopterus within the family Tapejaridae, more specifically within a subfamily called Chaoyangopterinae, sister taxon to both Jidapterus and Shenzhoupterus.[7] The cladogram on the right is a different topology, recovered by Alexander Kellner and colleagues in 2019. Unlike the analysis by Pinheiro and colleagues, the analysis by Kellner and colleagues did not recover Chaoyangopterus as a tapejarid, but instead recovered it within the family Chaoyangopteridae, still the sister taxon to both Jidapterus and Shenzhoupterus, though. Chaoyangopteridae in turn was found as the sister taxon of the family Azhdarchidae, both within the clade Azhdarchoidea.[8]
Chaoyangopterus is known to have been a toothless pterosaur and was assumed by Wang to have been a piscivore or fish-eater, but other relevant details of its paleobiology will have to await a more detailed description. Chaoyangopterids in general are now thought to have been similar to azhdarchid pterosaurs, implying that they were probably crane-like terrestrial omnivores and opportunistic carnivores.[9]
^Wang Xiao-Lin; Zhou Zhong-He (2003). "Two new pterodactyloid pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Western Liaoning, China". Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 41 (1): 34–41.
^Unwin, David M. (2006). The Pterosaurs: From Deep Time. New York: Pi Press. p. 273. ISBN0-13-146308-X.
^Lü, Junchang; Qiang Ji (2006). "Preliminary results of a phylogenetic analysis of the pterosaurs from western Liaoning and surrounding area" (PDF). Journal of the Paleontological Society of Korea. 22 (1): 239–261. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
^Lü, J.; Unwin, D.M.; Xu, L.; Zhang, X. (2008). "A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China and its implications for pterosaur phylogeny and evolution". Naturwissenschaften. 95 (9): 891–897. Bibcode:2008NW.....95..891L. doi:10.1007/s00114-008-0397-5. PMID 18509616. S2CID 13458087.
^Wang, X.; Zhou, Z. (2006). "Pterosaur assemblages of the Jehol Biota and their implication for the Early Cretaceous pterosaur radiation". Geological Journal. 41 (3–4): 405–418. doi:10.1002/gj.1046.
^Wu, W.-H.; Zhou, C.-F.; Andres, B. (2017). "The toothless pterosaur Jidapterus edentus (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchoidea) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and its paleoecological implications". PLOS ONE. 12 (9): e0185486. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1285486W. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0185486. PMC5614613. PMID 28950013.
^Pinheiro, Felipe L.; Fortier, Daniel C.; Schultz, Cesar L.; De Andrade, José Artur F.G.; Bantim, Renan A.M. (September 2011). "New Information on the Pterosaur, with Comments on the Relationships of Tapejaridae". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 56 (3): 567–580. doi:10.4202/app.2010.0057.
^Kellner, Alexander W. A.; Weinschütz, Luiz C.; Holgado, Borja; Bantim, Renan A. M.; Sayão, Juliana M. (19 August 2019). "A new toothless pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea) from Southern Brazil with insights into the paleoecology of a Cretaceous desert". Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências. 91 (suppl 2): e20190768. doi:10.1590/0001-3765201920190768. ISSN 0001-3765. PMID 31432888.
^"Pterosaur.net :: Important Species". pterosaur.net.
chaoyangopterus, genus, chaoyangopterid, pterosaur, known, from, partial, skeleton, found, liaoning, china, found, rocks, dating, back, aptian, lower, cretaceous, jiufotang, formation, dapingfang, chaoyang, temporal, range, early, cretaceous, preꞒ, comparison,. Chaoyangopterus is a genus of chaoyangopterid pterosaur known from a partial skeleton found in Liaoning China Chaoyangopterus was found in rocks dating back to the Aptian age Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Dapingfang Chaoyang ChaoyangopterusTemporal range Early Cretaceous 120 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Comparison of azhdarchoid mandibles notice Chaoyangopterus L Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataOrder PterosauriaSuborder PterodactyloideaFamily ChaoyangopteridaeSubfamily ChaoyangopterinaeGenus ChaoyangopterusWang amp Zhou 2003Species C zhangiBinomial name Chaoyangopterus zhangiWang amp Zhou 2003 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Classification 4 Paleobiology 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEtymology EditChaoyangopterus was named and described in 2003 by Wang Xiaolin and Zhou Zhonghe The type species is Chaoyangopterus zhangi The genus name is derived from Chaoyang and a Latinized Greek pteron wing The specific name honors journalist Zhang Wanlian for his efforts in protecting fossil sites Description EditChaoyangopterus is based on holotype IVPP V13397 which includes the front of the skull the lower jaws the neck vertebrae the shoulder and pelvic girdles and the limbs The skull is about 270 millimetres 11 inches long and toothless and its wingspan is estimated to have been around 1 85 meters 6 1 feet Wang and Zhou concluded that it compared most closely to Nyctosaurus and classified it as a nyctosaurid although they found that its shin was proportionally longer compared to the femur and humerus in Chaoyangopterus that their animal had relatively shorter wings and longer legs than Nyctosaurus and that it still had four fingers 1 Classification EditThe classification of Chaoyangopterus has since become unsettled with subsequent reviewers disagreeing with the nyctosaurid assessment David Unwin in a popular work included it without comment with the tapejarid family of azhdarchoid pterosaurs 2 known for their large head crests A detailed phylogenetic analysis of Liaoning pterosaurs published by Lu Junchang and Ji Qiang in 2006 found it instead to be a basal azhdarchoid of no particular familial affiliation 3 However subsequent analysis by Lu and Unwin found that within the Azhdarchoidea it formed a clade with several other forms such as Jidapterus and Shenzhoupterus which they named Chaoyangopteridae 4 Wang and Zhou however stated in 2006 that Chaoyangopterus was a member of the Pteranodontidae and that Jidapterus Eoazhdarcho and Eopteranodon are subjective junior synonyms of the former 5 This interpretation was not supported by a 2017 redescription of Jidapterus which was able to reliably distinguish all of these genera 6 Below are two cladograms showing the phylogenetic placement of Chaoyangopterus within the Azhdarchoidea The one on the left is a topology by Felipe Pinheiro and colleagues in 2011 they recovered Chaoyangopterus within the family Tapejaridae more specifically within a subfamily called Chaoyangopterinae sister taxon to both Jidapterus and Shenzhoupterus 7 The cladogram on the right is a different topology recovered by Alexander Kellner and colleagues in 2019 Unlike the analysis by Pinheiro and colleagues the analysis by Kellner and colleagues did not recover Chaoyangopterus as a tapejarid but instead recovered it within the family Chaoyangopteridae still the sister taxon to both Jidapterus and Shenzhoupterus though Chaoyangopteridae in turn was found as the sister taxon of the family Azhdarchidae both within the clade Azhdarchoidea 8 Topology 1 Pinheiro and colleagues 2011 Tapejaridae Thalassodrominae ThalassodromeusTupuxuaraChaoyangopterinae JidapterusShenzhoupterusChaoyangopterusTapejarinae SinopterusHuaxiapterusTapejaraTupandactylus Topology 2 Kellner and colleagues 2019 Azhdarchoidea Azhdarchidae AzhdarchoQuetzalcoatlusZhejiangopterusChaoyangopteridae ChaoyangopterusJidapterusShenzhoupterusTapejaromorpha KeresdrakonTapejaridae ThalassodrominaeTapejarinaePaleobiology EditChaoyangopterus is known to have been a toothless pterosaur and was assumed by Wang to have been a piscivore or fish eater but other relevant details of its paleobiology will have to await a more detailed description Chaoyangopterids in general are now thought to have been similar to azhdarchid pterosaurs implying that they were probably crane like terrestrial omnivores and opportunistic carnivores 9 See also EditList of pterosaur genera Timeline of pterosaur researchReferences Edit Wang Xiao Lin Zhou Zhong He 2003 Two new pterodactyloid pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Western Liaoning China Vertebrata PalAsiatica 41 1 34 41 Unwin David M 2006 The Pterosaurs From Deep Time New York Pi Press p 273 ISBN 0 13 146308 X Lu Junchang Qiang Ji 2006 Preliminary results of a phylogenetic analysis of the pterosaurs from western Liaoning and surrounding area PDF Journal of the Paleontological Society of Korea 22 1 239 261 Retrieved 2007 03 10 Lu J Unwin D M Xu L Zhang X 2008 A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China and its implications for pterosaur phylogeny and evolution Naturwissenschaften 95 9 891 897 Bibcode 2008NW 95 891L doi 10 1007 s00114 008 0397 5 PMID 18509616 S2CID 13458087 Wang X Zhou Z 2006 Pterosaur assemblages of the Jehol Biota and their implication for the Early Cretaceous pterosaur radiation Geological Journal 41 3 4 405 418 doi 10 1002 gj 1046 Wu W H Zhou C F Andres B 2017 The toothless pterosaur Jidapterus edentus Pterodactyloidea Azhdarchoidea from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and its paleoecological implications PLOS ONE 12 9 e0185486 Bibcode 2017PLoSO 1285486W doi 10 1371 journal pone 0185486 PMC 5614613 PMID 28950013 Pinheiro Felipe L Fortier Daniel C Schultz Cesar L De Andrade Jose Artur F G Bantim Renan A M September 2011 New Information on the Pterosaur with Comments on the Relationships of Tapejaridae Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 56 3 567 580 doi 10 4202 app 2010 0057 Kellner Alexander W A Weinschutz Luiz C Holgado Borja Bantim Renan A M Sayao Juliana M 19 August 2019 A new toothless pterosaur Pterodactyloidea from Southern Brazil with insights into the paleoecology of a Cretaceous desert Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 91 suppl 2 e20190768 doi 10 1590 0001 3765201920190768 ISSN 0001 3765 PMID 31432888 Pterosaur net Important Species pterosaur net External links EditChaoyangopterus in The Pterosauria Portals Paleontology Cretaceous China Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chaoyangopterus amp oldid 1059800304, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
