Hongshanopterus

Hong-shan-op-teh-rus.
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Lilah Turner

Evolutionary Biologist

Lilah Turner investigates how prehistoric animals adapted to changing environments, offering insights into evolution's mechanisms.

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Name

Hongshanopterus (Hongshan Wing).

Phonetic

Hong-shan-op-teh-rus.

Named By

Wang et al - 2008.

Classification

Chordata, Reptilia, Chordata, Pterodactyloidea, Pterodactyloidea, Ornithocheiroidea, Istiodactylidae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

H. lacustris

Size

Wingspan roughly estimated to be about 1.8-1.9 meters across.

Known locations

China, Liaoning Province - Jiufotang Formation.

Time Period

Aptian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Skull and cervical vertebra of a sub adult.

In Depth

       The teeth of Hongshanopterus extend past the first third of the skull. Not only does this give Hongshanopterus more teeth than other istiodactylids, it is taken as a marker for Hongshanopterus being a basal member of the group.

Further Reading

– A primitive istiodactylid pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea) from the Jiufotang Formation (Early Cretaceous), northeast China. – Zootaxa 1813:1-18. – X. Wang, D. A. Campos, Z. Zhou and A. W. A. Kellner – 2008.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT