Gladocephaloideus, new Chinese pterosaur

["bh480@scn.org" <bh480@scn.org>]

From: Ben Creisler
bh480@scn.org

A new online paper:

Lü Junchang Ji Qiang, Wei Xuefang, & Liu Yongqing (2011)
A new ctenochasmatoid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation
of western Liaoning, China.
Cretaceous Research (advance online publication)
doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2011.09.010 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667111001327


A new ctenochasmatoid pterosaur, Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis gen. et
sp. nov. from the Yixian Formation of western Laioning Province is erected
based on a complete skull and partial postcranial skeleton. It is
characterized by following features: about 50 total teeth with sharp tips;
small nasoantorbital opening, occupying approximately 13% of the skull
length; ratio of prenarial length to skull length approximately 0.63. The
diagnoses of the Ctenochasmatoidea and Gallodactylidae are amended based on
the new taxon. Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis is the first
gallodactylid pterosaur found in Asia. Its discovery not only provides much
more osteological information about the Gallodactylidae but also indicates
that the ctenochasmatoid pterosaurs were highly diverse in the Early
Cretaceous. The filamentous structures preserved near the dorsal and
posterior margins of the posterior portion of the skull and around the neck
indicate that it had an epidermal covering and may have been a warm-blooded
animal.




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