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Santandactylus (meaning "Santana Formation wing") was a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Aptian-age Romualdo Member of the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation, of Barra do Jardim, Araripe Plateau, Ceará Province, Brazil. Four species have been named. It was a large, long-necked pterosaur, with a relatively short snout, with teeth.
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History and Species
The type species, S. brasilensis, is based on Geological Institute of the University of Amsterdam 4894, a portion of the right humerus and scapulacoracoid; other remains, including cervical vertebrae from a different individual were also included in the genus.1 Additional remains, including a notarium (fused vertebrae supporting the shoulder) have been referred to it since then.23 The structure of the humerus suggests an ornithocheirid, but the long neck vertebrae argue against this.4
In 1985, Peter Wellnhofer, a paleontologist who has written numerous scientific publications on pterosaurs, named three additional species: S. araripensis, S. pricei, and S. spixi.5 S. araripensis was a large species based on remains including a partial skull (missing the end of the jaws) and arms; the preserved skull section had no crest. S. pricei was the smallest of the three species; it was based on BSP 1980 I 22, a left wing from the elbow down, and additional arm material has been referred to it over the years.3 S. spixi, intermediate in size, was based on BSP 1980 I 22, another left wing.
Over the years, the species of this taxon have been reassessed. Chris Bennett suggested that S. brasilensis was a chimera of a pteranodontid and something else, S. araripensis and S. pricei were pteranodontids, and S. spixi was a dsugaripterid.6 Wellnhofer removed S. spixi from the genus as well, in 1991.3 In 1992, Kellner and Campos suggested that S. spixi was a tapejarid.7 Part of the problem is the complicated taxonomy of Santana Formation pterosaurs and their English contemporaries, involving numerous genera, such as Amblydectes, Anhanguera, Araripesaurus, Criorhynchus, Coloborhynchus, Lonchodectes, Ornithocheirus, and Tropeognathus.
Paleobiology
Santanadactylus is regarded as a large pterosaur, with a wingspan of 2.9-5.7 m (9.5-18.7 ft). 4 It may have been adapted for gliding over flapping flight.8
References
- ^ de Buisonjé, P.H. (1980). Santanadactylus brasiliensis nov.gen. nov.sp. a longnecked, large pterosaur from the Aptian of Brazil. Proceedings of the Koninklijke Nederlanse Akademie van Wetenschappen B 83(2):145-172.
- ^ Wellnhofer, P., Buffetaut, E., and Gigase, P. (1983). A pterosaurian notarium from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 57147-157.
- ^ a b c Wellnhofer, P. (1991). Weitere Pterosaurierfunde aus der Santana-Formation (Apt) der Chapada do Araripe, Brasilien. Palaeontographica A 215:43–101. [German]
- ^ a b Wellnhofer, Peter [1991] (1996). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 124. ISBN 0-7607-0154-7.
- ^ Wellnhofer, P. (1985). Neue Pterosaurier aus der Santana-Formation (Apt) der Chapada do Araripe, Brasilien. Palaontographica A 187:105-182. [German]
- ^ Bennett, S.C. (1989). A pteranodontid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Peru, with comments on the relationships of Cretaceous pterosaurs. Journal of Paleontology 63:669-677.
- ^ Kellner, A.W.A., and Campos, D. de A. (1992), A new tapejarid from the Santana Formation (Lower Cretaceous) from the Araripe Basin, Northeastern Brasil. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 12(Supplement to 3):36–37A.
- ^ Glut, D.F. (2006). Santanadactylus In: Glut, D.F. Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia. 4nd Supplement. McFarland & Company, Inc.:Jefferson, North Carolina, 628-629. ISBN 0-7864-2295-5.
External links
- Santadactylus araripensis as a species of Coloborhynchus, The Pterosaur Database. Accessed 2007-02-09
- ?Santanadactylus spixi in The Pterosaur Database. Accessed 2007-02-09
- Santanadactylus in The Pterosauria. Accessed 2007-02-09
- Re: Pterosaur Help, a posting from George Olshevsky on the Dinosaur Mailing List, which, although incomplete, should give some idea as to the complexity of the taxonomy here. Accessed 2007-02-09
