The PTEROSAURIA - Araripedactylus

ARARIPEDACTYLUS

Genus: Araripedactylus Wellnhofer, 1977

Etymology: "Chapada do Araripe finger"

Type species: A. dehmi

Other Species: none

Diagnosis: See type species.

Classification: Pterodactyloidea incertae sedis

Species: A. dehmi Wellnhofer, 1977

Etymology: "for Richard Dehm"

Holotype: BSP 1975 I 166 — Right phalanx I of digit IV.

Referred Specimens: none

Time: Aptian-Albian, Early Cretaceous

Horizon: Romualdo Member, Santana Formation, Araripe Group

Location: Chapada do Araripe, Ceará, Brazil

Skull length: ?

Total length: ?

Wingspan: ?

Mass: ?

Diagnosis: Large pterodactyloid with straight first wing phalanx, cross-section of the first wing phalanx is of a rounded triangular shape, with the dorsal surface flattened, proximal process short, long, deep fossa on the ventral end distal to the extensor tendon process that possibly ends in a pneumatic foramen, very thick bone walls, distal articulation directed toward the wing membrane. (Wellnhofer, 1977, Wellnhoffer, 1991)

Comments:

References:
Wellnhofer P; 1977, Araripedactylus dehmi nov.gen., nov.sp., ein neuer Flugsaurier aus der Unterkreide von Brasilien, Mitt. Beyer. Staatsslg. Paleont. hist. Geol. 17, pp.157-167

Wellnhofer, P. 1991, The Santana Formation Pterosaurs. In J. G. Maisey (ed.), Santana fossils: An Illustrated Atlas, T.F.H. Publications, Neptune, New Jersey: 351–370.

Kellner, A. W. A. and Tomida., Y. 2000, Description of a new species of Anhangueridae (Pterodactyloidea) with comments on the pterosaur fauna from the Santana Formation (Aptian -Albian), Northeastern Brazil. National Science Museum Monographs No. 17, National Science Museum, Tokyo. p. 1-135.