Angustinaripterus

Name: Angustinaripterus (Narrow nostril wing).
Phonetic: An-gus-ti-na-rep-teh-rus.
Named By: He Xinlu - 1983.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Pterosauria, Rhamphorhynchoidea, Rhamphorhynchidae.
Species: A. longicephalus (type).
Diet: Piscivore.
Size: Estimated 1.6 meter wingspan.
Known locations: China, Szechuan Province, Dashanpu.
Time period: Bathonian of the Jurassic.
Fossil representation: Almost complete skull and mandible (lower jaw).

       Angustinaripterus has been envisioned as being like Dorygnathus because of the similar dentition. Angustinaripterus had nine pairs of teeth in the upper jaw, three in the premaxillae and six in the maxilla itself. These meshed with ten pairs that were in the mandible. Overall the teeth were quite simple in that they were long, curved and robustly built. Once a fish had been caught between them, Angustinaripterus had its next meal.
       The snout of Angustinaripterus was quite narrow, hence the name 'narrow nostril wing'. Also the way that the teeth are arranged, pointing forwards instead of down at the tip has led to some claiming the teeth combined with the narrowness of the snout, could be indicative of the basal line that would give rise to the filter feeding pterosaurs of the Ctenochasmatidae. Angustinaripterus also seems to have a low crest on top of the skull no more than two to three millimetres high.

Further reading
- A new pterosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan. - Journal of the Chengdu College of Geology 1:27-33. - X. He, D. Yan & C. Su - 1983.

Random favourites