A new pterodactyloid pterosaur with a unique filter-feeding apparatus from the Late Jurassic of Germany

A new long-legged, spatula-beaked, filter-feeding pterodactyloid pterosaur from Upper Jurassic plattenkalk limestones at Wattendorf, Bavaria, Southern Germany, is remarkable for its completeness, unusual dentition and hints of the preservation of soft tissues, including wing membranes. The fully art...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Paläontologische Zeitschrift 2023-06, Vol.97 (2), p.383-424
Main Authors: Martill, David M., Frey, Eberhard, Tischlinger, Helmut, Mäuser, Matthias, Rivera-Sylva, Héctor E., Vidovic, Steven U.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Paleontology
Research Paper
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Summary:A new long-legged, spatula-beaked, filter-feeding pterodactyloid pterosaur from Upper Jurassic plattenkalk limestones at Wattendorf, Bavaria, Southern Germany, is remarkable for its completeness, unusual dentition and hints of the preservation of soft tissues, including wing membranes. The fully articulated specimen displays both jaws each side with over one hundred sub-parallel-sided teeth with a small, slightly hooked expansion at the crown tip. There are at least 480 teeth in total. The tip of the rostrum widens to a spatula-like, laterally concave structure with teeth only along its lateral margins. The straight anterior margin is devoid of teeth allowing plankton-rich water to stream in, while the teeth interdigitate forming a fine mesh trap. A slightly up swept rostrum assisted filtering by probable pulsating movements of the long neck, while wading or swimming through shallow water.
ISSN:0031-0220
1867-6812
DOI:10.1007/s12542-022-00644-4