Discovery of the largest pterosaur from South America

A giant humerus (450 mm total length) belonging to one of the largest pterosaur recorded in South America is described. The specimen (UNCUYO-LD 350) was discovered in the Upper Cretaceous (upper Coniacian - lower Santonian) Plottier Formation of the Mendoza Province, northern Neuquén Basin, Argentin...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ortiz David, Leonardo Daniel, Gonzalez Riga, Bernardo Javier, Kellner, Alexander Wilhelm Armin
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/41234
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/41234
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Cretaceous
Flying Reptile
Mendoza
NeuquÉN Basin
Pterosauria
Tapejaroidea
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:A giant humerus (450 mm total length) belonging to one of the largest pterosaur recorded in South America is described. The specimen (UNCUYO-LD 350) was discovered in the Upper Cretaceous (upper Coniacian - lower Santonian) Plottier Formation of the Mendoza Province, northern Neuquén Basin, Argentina. It was found associated with a smaller pterosaur specimen represented by around thirty postcranial bones. The specimen is assigned to Tapejaroidea and show characters of both Tapejaridae and Azhdarchidae. Based on comparisions with other Azdharchidae species, a wingspan of 9.1 m is estimated for UNCUYO-LD 350, showing that giant pterosaurs were present in South America during the Upper Cretaceous.