Pterosaur remains from the Cretaceous of Morocco

Abstract

New pterosaur remains consisting of jaw fragments of toothless taxa and isolated teeth are described from the red beds of the Kern Kern region of southern Morocco. The stratigraphic position of those red beds is discussed and it is concluded that they are in all likelihood early Cenomanian in age. At least four taxa of pterodactyloid pterosaurs are present. The toothless jaw fragments are referred to the families ?Pteranodontidae, ?Azhdarchidae and Tapejaridae. Four different morphotypes can be distinguished among the isolated teeth. They are tentatively referred to the Ornithocheiridae. This assemblage reveals a high diversity of pterosaurs in Africa during the early Upper Cretaceous. The possible occurrence of tapejarids and anhanguerids indicates relationships with the somewhat older pterosaur assemblage from the Santana Formation (Aptian/Albian) of Brazil. If confirmed, the presence of azhdarchids and pteranodontids in the early Cenomanian suggests an early differentiation of these essentially late Late Cretaceous groups of large pterosaurs.