A team of Chinese and Brazilians researchers identified a new species of pterossaur from a fossilized skeleton almost complete found in the Jianchang district in the province of Liaoning, northeast of China. The study was recently published in Proceedings of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.
The fossil, dated the superior Jurassic, was appointed Darwinopterus Campossi Sp. Nov.in honor of the Brazilian geologist Diogenes A. Campos, recognized for its contribution to scientific cooperation between Brazil and China. The species belongs to the Wukongopteridae family, a group of yanliao biota pterosaurs.
The discovery stands out for unique characteristics, such as the shape of the premaxillary crest, the dental disposition-18 teeth on each side of the upper jaw and 14 at the bottom-and the size of the fourth phalanx of the wing finger, smaller than the first. According to Wang Xiaolin, from China’s Paleontology and PaleoAnthropology Institute of Paleontology, the finding widens the known diversity of the Wukongopteridae family and offers new perspectives on its evolution.
The collaboration between Chinese and Brazilians paleontologists in this field dates back to 2009, already resulting in the appointment of three genera and six species. The team plans to deepen studies on evolution, habits and life environment of these flying reptiles.
Source: https://www.chinahoje.net/pesquisadores-da-china-e-do-brasil-descobrem-nova-especie-de-pterossauro/
