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.