Original paper
Complete large skull of the pterodactyloid pterosaur Ctenochasma elegans from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Lithographic Limestones
Bennett, S. Christopher
Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen Band 301 Heft 3 (2021), p. 283 - 294
21 references
published: Sep 24, 2021
manuscript accepted: Jul 26, 2021
manuscript received: Jul 7, 2021
ArtNo. ESP155030103004, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
An excellently preserved, essentially complete large skull of the pterodactyloid pterosaur Ctenochasma elegans from the Solnhofen Lithographic Limestones (Painten Formation, Zandt Member) of southern Germany is described. The specimen adds significantly to our understanding of the osteology and proportions of the skull. Despite its large size, many bones are unfused and indicate immaturity. In addition, there is an elongate oval area along the midline of the fused premaxillae above and anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestrae that exhibits greater vascularization than the surrounding bone and is interpreted as the base of an incipient premaxillary crest. A reconstruction of the skull is presented.
Keywords
Pterosauria • Ctenochasmatidae • Solnhofen Archipelago • Upper Jurassic • Germany