Abstract

A three-dimensional and almost complete pterosaur mandible from the Crato Formation (Early Cretaceous of Northeastern Brazil), Araripe Basin, is described as a new species of a tapejarine tapejarid. Tapejarines are a particular group of toothless pterosaurs, characterized by well-developed cranial crests, downturned rostra, and have been proposed to represent frugivorous flying reptiles. Though comparatively well represented and distributed, the evolutionary history of the group is still poorly known, and the internal relationships of its members are not well understood. The new species here reported, named Aymberedactylus cearensis gen. et sp. nov., adds new data concerning the evolution of the group, concerning their morphology and geographical origin. It differs from known tapejarids due to its unusually elongate retroarticular process and a shallow fossa on the splenial exhibiting distinctive rugose texture. Furthermore, it exhibits a suite of basal and derived conditions within the Tapejaridae, demonstrating how their morphological traits probably evolved and that these forms were even more diverse than already acknowledged. The discovery of Aymberedactylus cearensis sheds new light on the evolutionary history of the Tapejarinae.

Highlights

  • In order to assess the phylogenetic position of Aymberedactylus cearensis, we coded it in a data matrix modified from [7], itself based on previous works [2, 3, 8], and ran a phylogenetic analysis using the software TNT [35], default traditional search

  • The specific epithet refers to Ceará, Brazilian state of provenance of the fossil

  • When the new species was added without such correction, the whole Tapejaride clade was collapsed in a polytomy, except for the small clade Tapejara + Europejara + Caiuajara + Tupandactylus

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Summary

Materials and Methods

In order to assess the phylogenetic position of Aymberedactylus cearensis, we coded it in a data matrix modified from [7], itself based on previous works [2, 3, 8], and ran a phylogenetic analysis using the software TNT [35], default traditional search. We modified a character (52) by splitting the original state in two. We added a new character (51) concerning mandible width. Latter feature was assessed by dividing the distance between the articular cotyles of each mandibular ramus (including their own widths; see Figure A in S1 File) by the mandibular length, measured from the articular cotyle to the rostral tip. Under the amended International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), the online version of this article conforms to the requirements for the availability of the new names contained here. This published work and its nomenclatural acts have been registered in the online registration system of the ICZN, the ZooBank. AMNH: American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA; CP: Centro Paleontológico (Universidade do Contestado), Mafra, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; CPCA: Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas da Chapada do Araripe (Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral), Crato, Brazil; GMN: Geological Museum of Nanjing, China; HGM: Henan Geological Museum, Zhengzhou, China; IMCF: Iwaki Coal and Fossil Museum, Japan; IMNH: Iwaki Museum of Natural History, Japan; LPM: Liaoning Paleontological Museum, China; M: Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; MCCM: Las Hoyas collection of the Museo de las Ciencias de Castilla—La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain; MN: Museu Nacional (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; TMM: Texas Memorial Museum (University of Texas), Austin, USA

Results
Phylogenetic Analysis Results
Discussion
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