- Santanadactylus
Taxobox
name = "Santanadactylus"
status = fossil
fossil_range =Early Cretaceous
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo =Pterosaur ia
subordo =Pterodactyloidea
familia = uncertain
genus = "Santanadactylus"
genus_authority = Buisonjé, 1980
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
*"S. brasilensis" (type)
*?"S. araripensis" Wellnhofer, 1985
*?"S. pricei" Wellnhofer, 1985
*?"S. spixi" Wellnhofer, 1985"Santandactylus" (meaning "
Santana Formation wing") was agenus ofpterodactyloid pterosaur from theAptian -age Romualdo Member of theLower Cretaceous Santana Formation, of Barra do Jardim, Araripe Plateau, Ceará Province,Brazil . Four species have been named. It was a large, long-neck ed pterosaur, with a relatively short snout, withteeth .History and Species
The
type species , "S. brasilensis", is based on Geological Institute of the University of Amsterdam 4894, a portion of the righthumerus andscapula coracoid ; other remains, including cervicalvertebra e from a different individual were also included in the genus.de Buisonjé, P.H. (1980). "Santanadactylus brasiliensis" nov.gen. nov.sp. a longnecked, large pterosaur from the Aptian of Brazil. "Proceedings of the Koninklijke Nederlanse Akademie van Wetenschappen" B 83(2):145-172.] Additional remains, including anotarium (fused vertebrae supporting theshoulder ) have been referred to it since then.Wellnhofer, P., Buffetaut, E., and Gigase, P. (1983). A pterosaurian notarium from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil. "Paläontologische Zeitschrift" 57147-157.] Wellnhofer, P. (1991). Weitere Pterosaurierfunde aus der Santana-Formation (Apt) der Chapada do Araripe, Brasilien. "Palaeontographica" A 215:43–101. [German] ] The structure of the humerus suggests an ornithocheirid, but the long neck vertebrae argue against this.cite book |last=Wellnhofer |first=Peter |authorlink=Peter Wellnhofer |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs |origyear=1991 |year=1996 |publisher=Barnes and Noble Books |location=New York |isbn=0-7607-0154-7 |pages=124 ]In 1985,
Peter Wellnhofer , apaleontologist who has written numerousscientific publication s on pterosaurs, named three additional species: "S. araripensis", "S. pricei", and "S. spixi".Wellnhofer, P. (1985). Neue Pterosaurier aus der Santana-Formation (Apt) der Chapada do Araripe, Brasilien. "Palaontographica" A 187:105-182. [German] ] "S. araripensis" was a large species based on remains including a partial skull (missing the end of the jaws) and arms; the preserved skull section had no crest. "S. pricei" was the smallest of the three species; it was based on BSP 1980 I 22, a left wing from theelbow down, and additional arm material has been referred to it over the years. "S. spixi", intermediate in size, was based on BSP 1980 I 22, another left wing.Over the years, the species of this taxon have been reassessed. Chris Bennett suggested that "S. brasilensis" was a chimera of a pteranodontid and something else, "S. araripensis" and "S. pricei" were pteranodontids, and "S. spixi" was a dsugaripterid.Bennett, S.C. (1989). A pteranodontid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Peru, with comments on the relationships of Cretaceous pterosaurs. "Journal of Paleontology" 63:669-677.] Wellnhofer removed "S. spixi" from the genus as well, in 1991. In 1992, Kellner and Campos suggested that "S. spixi" was a tapejarid.Kellner, A.W.A., and Campos, D. de A. (1992), A new tapejarid from the Santana Formation (Lower Cretaceous) from the Araripe Basin, Northeastern Brasil. "Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology" 12(Supplement to 3):36–37A.] Part of the problem is the complicated
taxonomy of Santana Formation pterosaurs and their English contemporaries, involving numerous genera, such as "Amblydectes ", "Anhanguera", "Araripesaurus ", "Criorhynchus ", "Coloborhynchus ", "Lonchodectes ", "Ornithocheirus ", and "Tropeognathus ".Paleobiology
"Santanadactylus" is regarded as a large pterosaur, with a
wingspan of 2.9-5.7 m (9.5-18.7 ft). It may have been adapted for gliding over flappingflight .Glut, D.F. (2006). "Santanadactylus" In: Glut, D.F. "Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia." 4nd Supplement. McFarland & Company, Inc.:Jefferson, North Carolina, 628-629. ISBN 0-7864-2295-5.]References
External links
* [http://www.pterosaur.co.uk/species/LCP/Crio/Colobo-arerip.htm "Santadactylus araripensis"] as a species of "
Coloborhynchus ", The Pterosaur Database. Accessed 2007-02-09
* [http://www.pterosaur.co.uk/species/LCP/Dsung/spixi.htm ?"Santanadactylus spixi"] in The Pterosaur Database. Accessed 2007-02-09
* [http://archosauria.org/pterosauria/taxonomy/genera/santanadactylus.html "Santanadactylus"] in The Pterosauria. Accessed 2007-02-09
* [http://dml.cmnh.org/2001Nov/msg00559.html Re: Pterosaur Help] , a posting fromGeorge Olshevsky on the Dinosaur Mailing List, which, although incomplete, should give some idea as to the complexity of the taxonomy here. Accessed 2007-02-09
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