A pterosaur humerus and scapulocoracoid from the Jurassic Whitby Mudstone Formation, and the evolution of large body size in early pterosaurs

Abstract

Early Jurassic pterosaurs are rare and display low diversity with only three well known genera for a period of ∼21 million years duration. The Hettangian-Pliensbachian Dimorphodon reached a wingspan estimated at only 1.3 m, while the Lower Toarcian forms Dorygnathus and Campylognathoides reached wings spans of 1.8 m. Here we describe a new specimen of Toarcian pterosaur from the north east coast of England that may have achieved an estimated wingspan between 1.6 and 3.2 m.