Gnathosaurus

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Gnathosaurus
Temporal range: Late Jurassic,
Tithonian
↓
Fossil skull referred to G. subulatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: †Pterosauria
Suborder: †Pterodactyloidea
Family: †Ctenochasmatidae
Subfamily: †
Gnathosaurinae
Genus: †Gnathosaurus
Meyer, 1833
Type species
†Gnathosaurus subulatus
Meyer, 1833
Other species
  • †G. macrurus
    (
    Seeley
    , 1869)
Synonyms

Synonyms of G. macrurus:

Gnathosaurus (meaning "jawed lizard") is a genus of

UK. Its fossil remains dated back to the Late Jurassic
period.

History of discovery

ctenochasmatid
jaws; A is Gnathosaurus

Fragments of Gnathosaurus jaws were first discovered in 1832 in the Solnhofen

Hermann von Meyer classified the same specimen as the new genus and species Gnathosaurus subulatus, a name which came to be universally used shortly thereafter. In the 1860s, scientists such as Albert Oppel compared the G. subulatus jaw fragment to contemporary pterosaurs such as Pterodactylus and Ctenochasma, and concluded that it was also probably a "flying reptile" rather than a crocodilian.[1] A more complete skull of an adult pterosaur was found in 1951 and classified as Gnathosaurus subulatus. This slender, 28 centimeters (11 in) long skull had up to 130 needle-like teeth arranged around the side of a spoon-shaped tip. The specimen had an estimated wingspan of about 1.7 meters (5.6 ft). It probably lead a lifestyle akin to that of modern spoonbills, wading with its jaws open and closing them upon touching small prey.[2]

Possible juvenile specimens of G. subulatus may be known from several complete skeletons that had previously been classified as the separate species Pterodactylus micronyx.

cladistic analysis to date that tests the relationships of both taxa they are found distinct.[5]

An additional large specimen, originally named Pterodactylus macrurus, is known from the

Purbeck Limestone formation of England. Represented only by a partial lower jaw and neck vertebrae, it has since been considered closer to Gnathosaurus, and its binomial changed to G. macrurus.[6]

Classification

Dakosaurus maximus

Below is

Gnathosaurinae, as sister taxa.[7]

 Ctenochasmatidae 
 
Ctenochasmatinae
 

Ctenochasma

 
Pterodaustrini
 

Pterodaustro guinazui

Eosipterus yangi

Beipiaopterus chenianus

Gegepterus changi

Kepodactylus insperatus

Elanodactylus prolatus

 
Moganopterinae
 

Feilongus youngi

Moganopterus zhuiana

 
Gnathosaurinae
 

Huanhepterus quingyangensis

Plataleorhynchus streptophorodon

Gnathosaurus subulatus

Gnathosaurus macrurus

See also

References

  1. ^ Oppel, A. (1862). Paleontologische Mittheilungen aus dem museum der Koenigl, Paleontologische Mittheilungen aus dem museum der Koenigl. Ebner & Seubert.
  2. ISBN 0691150613
    .
  3. S2CID 86308635
    .
  4. S2CID 83722829
    .
  5. PMID 25337830
    .
  6. ^ Howse S. C. B. and Milner A. R., 1995, The Pterodactyloids from the Purbeck Limestone Formation of Dorset. Bull. Nat. Hist. Mus. London. (Geol) 51(1): 73-88.
  7. PMID 24768054
    .
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