Abstract
Amblydectes is a problematic genus proposed more than a century ago for several pterosaur specimens from the Cambridge Greensand. Its problematic nature is due to the fragmentary preservation of the referred specimens, limited to several rostral tips. In the present work is reassessed the validity of Amblydectes crassidens based on new anatomical comparisons and phylogenetic analysis, as well as the description of a new specimen. The results of this work confirm the validity of the species as belonging to the clade Tropeognathinae, a recently proposed group of robust anhanguerids which have only been known so far from Gondwanan landmasses. Amblydectes is proposed as a monospecific genus, whilst one the former attributed species is assigned to a new genus, Draigwenia, which is proposed as a non-anhanguerian lanceodontian taxon of uncertain placement. The presence of a tropeognathine anhanguerid in the Cambridge Greensand suggests that anhanguerid diversity was really complex both locally and globally.
Highlights
The Cambridge Greensand is one of the richest pterosaur-yielding geological units in the world, with over two thousand known specimens up to date (e.g., Unwin 2001, Rodrigues & Kellner 2013)
Amblydectes crassidens was recovered within the clade Tropeognathinae, in polytomy with Siroccopteryx moroccensis, Tropeognathus mesembrinus, and Ferrodraco lentoni + Mythunga camara (Fig. 5)
In the first boxplot (2nd–1st pair), the holotype of Amblydectes crassidens is revealed as an upper outlier whilst the specimen NHMUK PV R546 is placed at the top of the third quartile
Summary
The Cambridge Greensand is one of the richest pterosaur-yielding geological units in the world, with over two thousand known specimens up to date (e.g., Unwin 2001, Rodrigues & Kellner 2013). One of the first key reviews of the Ornithocheirus complex was realised by Hooley (1914) In his reassessment of the Ornithocheirus complex, Hooley (1914) provided a revision of the species known up to that time, separating them in several genera based on a certain combination of morphological characters (Hooley 1914, Rodrigues & Kellner 2013). One of such genera established by Hooley (1914) was Amblydectes, which was recognised by “[...] beaks with strong lateral compression forming a dorsal keel, triangular, truncated tip, and moderate vertical depth. Anterior much larger than posterior, none directed forward.” (Hooley 1914: p. 536)
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