Istiodactylids to scale and their convergence with large pterodactylids
After testing and housekeeping
in the large pterosaur tree (LPT, 263 taxa) an overlooked example of convergence between large pterodactylids and istiodactylids (members of the Ornithocheiridae) made itself known.
Like the LRT, the LPT is rock solid overall. However some clades are fragile due to convergence. Principally the LPT still recovers five convergent origins for the pterodactyloid grade because it includes more pterosaur specimens than others do and many more tiny pterosaur specimens omitted by prior studies.
Figure 1. Istiodactylids to scale. Nurhachius luei is grayed out because it now nests with pterodactylids. The two are very similar by convergence.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/istiodactylids2scale.jpg?w=182″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/istiodactylids2scale.jpg?w=584″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” class=”size-full wp-image-88082″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/istiodactylids2scale.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Istiodactylids to scale. Nurhachius luei is grayed out because it now nests with pterodactylids. The two are very similar by convergence.” width=”584″ height=”962″ />
Figure 1. Istiodactylids to scale. Nurhachius luei is grayed out because it now nests with pterodactylids. The two are very similar by convergence.
As long-time readers know,
that means the traditional clade ‘Pterodactyloidea‘ is polyphyletic and therefore invalid. So is the traditional clade Monofenestrata and several others.
Figure 2. Large pterodactylid skulls to scale.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/bmms7-588-1.jpg?w=160″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/bmms7-588-1.jpg?w=547″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” class=”size-full wp-image-88084″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/bmms7-588-1.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Large pterodactylid skulls to scale. ” width=”584″ height=”1093″ />
Figure 2. Large pterodactylid skulls to scale.
This actually started with
Luchibang, a traditional istiodactylid that nested with large pterodactylids.
Figure 3. Large pterodactylids to scale. Note the cervicals hint at much larger pterodactylids.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/luchibang_p_longicollum588.jpg?w=102″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/luchibang_p_longicollum588.jpg?w=347″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” class=”size-full wp-image-88085″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/luchibang_p_longicollum588.jpg” alt=”Figure 3. Large pterodactylids to scale. Note the cervicals hint at much larger pterodactylids. ” width=”584″ height=”1724″ />
Figure 3. Large pterodactylids to scale. Note the ?Santanadactylus cervicals hint at much larger pterodactylids.
The long neck of pterodactylids
is a quick references guide that separates this clade from shorter-necked istiodactylids. So are the long legs. The skull is not so helpful. Nurhachius luei (Figs 1–3), a traditional istiodactylid is known from two species. The holotype is an istiodactylid. The other nests with pterodactylids.
Pterodactylus antiquus
(Cuvier 1809, Sömmerring 1812, BSP Nr. AS I 739, No. 4 of Wellnhofer 1970) was the first pterosaur to be described and named.
Istiodactylus latidens
BMNH R 3877 (Hooley 1913, “Ornithodemus” latidens; Howse, Milner and Martill 2001) ~56 cm skull length, Aptian, Early Cretaceous ~130 mya.
Considering the fragility of the LPT
changes to the present cladogram may not be at a conclusive. Several scrappy (eg wing-only, partial skull) taxa were removed to bring the resolution down to 8 MPTs. Every clade seems to evolve logically and tenably from ancestral taxa with phylogenetically miniaturized tiny taxa at the genesis of most, if not all, novel clades.
References
Cuvier G 1801. [Reptile volant]. In: Extrait d’un ouvrage sur les espèces de quadrupèdes dont on a trouvé les ossemens dans l’intérieur de la terre. Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d’Histoire Naturelle 52: 253–267.
Hooley RW 1913. On the skeleton of Ornithodesmus latidens. An ornithosaur from the Wealden shales of Atherfield (Isle of Wight)”, Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, 69: 372-421.
wiki/Istiodactylus
wiki/Pterodactylus
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2024/08/10/istiodactylids-to-scale-and-their-convergence-with-large-pterodactylids/
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