A new species of the turmeric gopterid pterosaur Darwinopterus It is identified from the almost complete skeleton found in West Riaon, China.
Impressions of the artist Darwinopterus camposi. Image credits: Maurilio Oliveira / Institute of Vertebrate Apleontology and Apeoanthrogology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The newly discovered species lived in what is now China in the mid-Jurassic period, about 160 million years ago.
This flying reptile is a member of the genus Darwinopterus internal Turmericthe important Pterosaur group of Yanliao Biota.
It has been named Darwinopterus camposithe species estimated wingspan was 75 cm (30 inches).
“China has been a hot spot for Pterosaur’s research for quite some time, presenting new discoveries that have encouraged the study of these extinct flight reptiles,” said Dr. Xin Cheng, a paleontologist at Jilling University and Dr. Xin Cheng, a paleontologist at the Nanjing Institute at Geology and Palaeontology.
“New areas have been reported, and many species have been discovered in the West over the past decade, some showing close connections with faunas from other continents.”
“One of the most interesting findings is a specimen called the Biota of Yangliao. Although it was distributed in about the same region as Jehoru’s biota, it is considered to be the middle to late Jurassic of age.”
“Perhaps the most prominent pterosaur in Yangliao’s biota is the Turmeric Gopteridae, which shows a combination of features of non-ocular oxygen and ocular pterosaurs.”
“So far, three genera and five species have been listed. wukongopterus lii, Darwinopterus modularis, Darwinopterus linglongtaensis, Darwinopterus robustodensand Kunpengopterus sinensisan unknown turmeric gopteride specimen. ”
“All these specimens were collected from the center of the Jurassic Tierjisian Formation in Lingonta, Zianchang Province, from the top to the top.”
“Potential members of this clade have been discovered in Europe, except for materials from China.”
Holotype of Darwinopterus camposi. Image credits: Chen et al. , doi: 10.1590/0001-3765202520240707.
Holotype specimen of Darwinopterus camposi It was found in a grey grey shale slab from the same tierage.
“The specimen consists of almost complete skeletons with a skull and mandible, including several displaced cervical vertebrae, posterior vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, anterior tail, anterior caudal, partial thoracic girdle and all the forelimbs from both sides, paleontologists said.
According to the author, Darwinopterus camposi Provides new information about the Wukongopteridae group.
” Among the main features that differ from other turmeric gopterides are the summit of the mushisari, which exhibits a completely distinct straight dorsal edge and a smooth outer surface, teeth counts, and short fourth wing phalanx compared to the first,” they said.
“Holotype skull Darwinopterus camposi Some cranial elements show that they are fused only at very late stages during ontogeny. ”
“To better understand the ontogeny of the species that make up this interesting pterosaur clade, we need to take a closer look at the fusion of more specimens and bones.”
a paper About discoveries of Darwinopterus camposi Published in the journal Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências.
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X.Chen et al. 2025. New species of Darwinopterus (Wukongopteridae, Pterosauria) New information from the West from the West provides some new information regarding the ontogeny of this clade. Acad Bras Cienc 97:e20240707; doi:10.1590/0001-3765202520240707
Source: www.sci.news