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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.