Reappraisal of Mythunga camara Molnar & Thulborn, 2007 (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea, Anhangueria) from the upper Albian Toolebuc Formation of Queensland, Australia
“…The fused scapulocoracoid and ossified extensor tendon process of wing phalanx IV-1 indicate that the type individual was ontogenetically mature; however, CT scans of the carpus demonstrate that the proximal and distal carpals were not sutured. Based on measurements of the type specimen (Table 1), and comparisons with other anhanguerian pterosaurs, the wingspan of Ferrodraco was approximately 4 m (see summary in Pentland and Poropat 9 ).Figure 2 Ferrodraco lentoni gen. et sp. nov. holotype specimen AODF 876.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…19 dataset) suggested that it was an anhanguerian, not an archaeopterodactyloid. However, the inclusion of Mythunga in this analysis reduced the resolution within Anhangueria to such a degree that its position within that clade could not be established 9 . By contrast, Aussiedraco is represented by a mandibular symphysis found near Boulia that was initially assigned to aff.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Despite this, pterosaur remains are typically incomplete and fragmentary, primarily because their bones have thin cortices and are typically hollow 2 . Pterosaurs are rare in Australia, with their fossil record restricted to the Cretaceous and comprising isolated and fragmentary bones from Queensland 3–9 , New South Wales 10 , Western Australia 11,12 and Victoria 13,14 . The Victorian pterosaur fossils remain undescribed 14 , whereas those from New South Wales can be identified no more precisely than Anhangueria indet 10 .…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Anhanguera 6 , might in fact be anhanguerids, this cannot be determined because of their incomplete preservation. The only named pterosaur species from Australia — Mythunga camara (Queensland Museum [QM, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia] F18896) 5,9 and Aussiedraco molnari (QM F10613) 3,8 — are from the upper Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) Toolebuc Formation of Queensland. Mythunga is represented by an incomplete skull found near Hughenden, comprising incomplete premaxillae, maxillae, dentaries, and other cranial elements preserved in matrix within the nasoantorbital fenestra, and was originally interpreted as a short-snouted archaeopterodactyloid 5 .…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Mythunga is represented by an incomplete skull found near Hughenden, comprising incomplete premaxillae, maxillae, dentaries, and other cranial elements preserved in matrix within the nasoantorbital fenestra, and was originally interpreted as a short-snouted archaeopterodactyloid 5 . A recent redescription of this taxon demonstrated that it was not short-snouted 9 ; moreover, the inclusion of Mythunga in a phylogenetic analysis (based on a modified version of the Andres et al . 19 dataset) suggested that it was an anhanguerian, not an archaeopterodactyloid.…”
The Australian pterosaur record is poor by world standards, comprising fewer than 20 fragmentary specimens. Herein, we describe the new genus and species Ferrodraco lentoni gen. et sp. nov., based on the most complete pterosaur specimen ever found in Australia, and the first reported from the Winton Formation (Cenomanian–lower Turonian). The presence of premaxillary and mandibular crests, and spike-shaped teeth with subcircular bases, enable Ferrodraco to be referred to Anhangueria. Ferrodraco can be distinguished from all other anhanguerian pterosaurs based on two dental characters: the first premaxillary and mandibular tooth pairs are small; and the fourth–seventh tooth pairs are smaller than the third and eighth ones. Ferrodraco was included in a phylogenetic analysis of Pterosauria and resolved as the sister taxon to Mythunga camara (upper Albian Toolebuc Formation, Australia), with that clade occupying the most derived position within Ornithocheiridae. Ornithocheirus simus (Albian Cambridge Greensand, England), Coloborhynchus clavirostris (Valanginian Hastings Sands, England), and Tropeognathus mesembrinus (upper Aptian–lower Albian Romualdo Formation, Brazil) were resolved as successive sister taxa, which suggests that ornithocheirids were cosmopolitan during the Albian–Cenomanian. Furthermore, the stratigraphic age of Ferrodraco lentoni (Cenomanian–lower Turonian) implies that anhanguerians might have survived later in Australia than elsewhere.
“…The fused scapulocoracoid and ossified extensor tendon process of wing phalanx IV-1 indicate that the type individual was ontogenetically mature; however, CT scans of the carpus demonstrate that the proximal and distal carpals were not sutured. Based on measurements of the type specimen (Table 1), and comparisons with other anhanguerian pterosaurs, the wingspan of Ferrodraco was approximately 4 m (see summary in Pentland and Poropat 9 ).Figure 2 Ferrodraco lentoni gen. et sp. nov. holotype specimen AODF 876.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…19 dataset) suggested that it was an anhanguerian, not an archaeopterodactyloid. However, the inclusion of Mythunga in this analysis reduced the resolution within Anhangueria to such a degree that its position within that clade could not be established 9 . By contrast, Aussiedraco is represented by a mandibular symphysis found near Boulia that was initially assigned to aff.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Despite this, pterosaur remains are typically incomplete and fragmentary, primarily because their bones have thin cortices and are typically hollow 2 . Pterosaurs are rare in Australia, with their fossil record restricted to the Cretaceous and comprising isolated and fragmentary bones from Queensland 3–9 , New South Wales 10 , Western Australia 11,12 and Victoria 13,14 . The Victorian pterosaur fossils remain undescribed 14 , whereas those from New South Wales can be identified no more precisely than Anhangueria indet 10 .…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Anhanguera 6 , might in fact be anhanguerids, this cannot be determined because of their incomplete preservation. The only named pterosaur species from Australia — Mythunga camara (Queensland Museum [QM, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia] F18896) 5,9 and Aussiedraco molnari (QM F10613) 3,8 — are from the upper Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) Toolebuc Formation of Queensland. Mythunga is represented by an incomplete skull found near Hughenden, comprising incomplete premaxillae, maxillae, dentaries, and other cranial elements preserved in matrix within the nasoantorbital fenestra, and was originally interpreted as a short-snouted archaeopterodactyloid 5 .…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Mythunga is represented by an incomplete skull found near Hughenden, comprising incomplete premaxillae, maxillae, dentaries, and other cranial elements preserved in matrix within the nasoantorbital fenestra, and was originally interpreted as a short-snouted archaeopterodactyloid 5 . A recent redescription of this taxon demonstrated that it was not short-snouted 9 ; moreover, the inclusion of Mythunga in a phylogenetic analysis (based on a modified version of the Andres et al . 19 dataset) suggested that it was an anhanguerian, not an archaeopterodactyloid.…”
The Australian pterosaur record is poor by world standards, comprising fewer than 20 fragmentary specimens. Herein, we describe the new genus and species Ferrodraco lentoni gen. et sp. nov., based on the most complete pterosaur specimen ever found in Australia, and the first reported from the Winton Formation (Cenomanian–lower Turonian). The presence of premaxillary and mandibular crests, and spike-shaped teeth with subcircular bases, enable Ferrodraco to be referred to Anhangueria. Ferrodraco can be distinguished from all other anhanguerian pterosaurs based on two dental characters: the first premaxillary and mandibular tooth pairs are small; and the fourth–seventh tooth pairs are smaller than the third and eighth ones. Ferrodraco was included in a phylogenetic analysis of Pterosauria and resolved as the sister taxon to Mythunga camara (upper Albian Toolebuc Formation, Australia), with that clade occupying the most derived position within Ornithocheiridae. Ornithocheirus simus (Albian Cambridge Greensand, England), Coloborhynchus clavirostris (Valanginian Hastings Sands, England), and Tropeognathus mesembrinus (upper Aptian–lower Albian Romualdo Formation, Brazil) were resolved as successive sister taxa, which suggests that ornithocheirids were cosmopolitan during the Albian–Cenomanian. Furthermore, the stratigraphic age of Ferrodraco lentoni (Cenomanian–lower Turonian) implies that anhanguerians might have survived later in Australia than elsewhere.
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