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Gwawinapterus beardi, new British Columbian "raven wing" pterosaur



From: Ben Creisler
bh480@scn.org

I posted the abstract a few weeks back but without the 
official name. The name Gwawinapterus  means "raven wing" 
from Kwakiutl. 
In case these news stories has not been mentioned yet:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-species-reptile-bc-
coast.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110110121713.
htm

Here's the abstract again:


Victoria M. Arbour and Philip J. Currie (2011)
An istiodactylid pterosaur from the Upper Cretaceous 
Nanaimo Group, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 48(1): 63-69 (2011)  
|  doi:10.1139/E10-083  
http://rparticle.web-
p.cisti.nrc.ca/rparticle/AbstractTemplateServlet?
calyLang=eng&journal=cjes&volume=48&year=0&issue=1&msno=e1
0-083


An unusual jaw found in a calcite nodule from Collishaw 
Point, Hornby Island, British Columbia (off the east 
coast of Vancouver Island) represents the first 
definitive pterosaur found in British Columbia, and the 
first istiodactylid from Canada. The nodule was derived 
from the Northumberland Formation (Nanaimo Group), a 
fossiliferous formation known for producing numerous 
plants, invertebrates, sharks, and mosasaurs. The 
pterosaur is represented by the anterior portion of the 
rostrum, including the anterior edge of the 
nasoantorbital fenestra, and numerous small, triangular 
teeth lacking denticles. These teeth are similar in 
overall morphology to the teeth of istiodactylids, but 
are smaller, more numerous, more tightly packed, and have 
proportionately smaller crowns. Although fragmentary, 
this specimen is diagnostic and represents a new genus of 
istiodactylid pterosaur. Its presence in the upper 
Campanian Northumberland Formation makes this the latest 
occurring istiodactylid and extends the stratigraphic and 
geographic range of this enigmatic group of pterosaurs.