A Late Jurassic pterosaur (Reptilia, Pterodactyloidea) from norhwestern Patagonia, Argentina

CODORNIÚ, L.; GASPARINI, Z.; PAULINA CARABAJAL, A.

JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES

Elsevier

Año: 2006 vol. 20 p. 383 - 389

0895-9811

Abstract A small to medium-sized pterodactyloid pterosaur (wingspan approximately 1.10 m) from the Upper Jurassic (middle-late Tithonian) marine deposits of the Vaca Muerta Formation of Patagonia (Los Catutos area, central Neuque´n Province, Argentina) is reported. The specimen lacks the skull but constitutes a nearly complete postcranial skeleton, which includes cervical and dorsal vertebrae; a few thoracic ribs; both pectoral girdles; the left pelvic girdle; a proximal right wing (humerus, ulna, and radius) and metacarpal IV; a left wing that lacks only wing phalanx four; and both hindlimbs, the right one without the foot. Ontogenetic features suggest that the new fossil corresponds to a relatively mature individual,probably a subadult. Observed characters support its assignment to the Archaeopteroactyloidea, a basal clade within the Pterodactyloidea. This specimen is the second pterosaur from Los Catutos and the most complete Jurassic pterosaur so far known from South America. q 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.q 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Keywords: Argentina; Middle–late Tithonian; Neuque´n Basin; Pterodactyloidea; PterosauriaArgentina; Middle–late Tithonian; Neuque´n Basin; Pterodactyloidea; Pterosauria