Cascocauda
Cascocauda | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Order: | †Pterosauria |
Family: | †Anurognathidae |
Subfamily: | † Batrachognathinae
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Genus: | †Cascocauda Yang et al., 2022 |
Species: | †C. rong
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Binomial name | |
†Cascocauda rong Yang et al., 2022
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Cascocauda (meaning "ancient tail") is an
Discovery and naming
The
The specimen was first reported as an unnamed anurognathid in December 2018 by Zixiao Yang and colleagues, along with another anurognathid specimen (CAGS-Z070), in a description and analysis of both specimens' integumentary structures.[2] NJU-57003 would not be fully described until 2022 by Yang and colleagues, wherein it was diagnosed as a new genus and species, Cascocauda rong. The generic name is derived from the Latin cascus, meaning 'ancient' or 'primitive', and cauda, meaning 'tail.' The specific name is from the Chinese character 'róng' (绒/絨), derived from the phrase "máo róng róng" (毛绒绒/毛絨絨) which means "a fluffy appearance." Thus, the full binomial name translates as "fluffy ancient tail."[1]
Description
Like other anurognathids, Cascocauda was a small pterosaur with a short, wide skull and "frog-like" jaws, large eyes, broad wings and a short tail. The only known specimen has a wingspan of 434 millimetres (17.1 in), although this individual was immature and likely not finished growing. The skull wider than it is long (22.2 mm long vs 31.7 mm wide) and poorly preserved, although the ascending processes of the jaw separating the
Most of the vertebrae are crushed or obscured, but the neck is visibly short and at least ten
The
The bones of the hindlimb are long and straight, with a
Integument and colouration
Cascocauda was almost entirely covered in an extensive coat of fur-like filaments known in pterosaurs as
The identity of these branching structures as pycnofibres or feathers was challenged by Unwin & Martill (2020), who interpreted them as bunched-up and degraded aktinofibrils–stiffening fibres found in the wing membrane of pterosaurs–and attributed the melanosomes and keratin to skin rather than filaments.[4] These claims were refuted by Yang and colleagues, who argue that Unwin and Martill's interpretations are inconsistent with the specimen's preservation. Namely, they argue that the consistent structure, regular spacing, and extension of the filaments beyond the wing membrane support their identification as pycnofibres. Further, they argue that the restriction of melanosomes and keratin to the fibres, as occurs in fossil dinosaur feathers, supports the case they are filaments and is not consistent with contamination from preserved skin.[5]
Compared to the coat of pycnofibres, the wing membranes (
Classification
NJU-57003 was initially reported as an anurognathid of undetermined species in 2018, although Yang and colleagues recognised that the specimen showed similarities to
A
Anurognathidae |
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Palaeobiology
The only known specimen of Cascocauda is believed to be a juvenile, based on features of the skeleton that indicate immaturity. Namely, articular bones such as the