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Haliskia Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, middle–upper | |
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Haliskia holotype (photograph) | |
Haliskia holotype (drawing) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Order: | † Pterosauria |
Suborder: | † Pterodactyloidea |
Clade: | † Ornithocheirae |
Clade: | † Anhangueria (?) |
Family: | † Anhangueridae (?) |
Genus: | † Haliskia Pentland et al., 2024 |
Species: | †H. peterseni |
Binomial name | |
†Haliskia peterseni Pentland et al., 2024 | |
Haliskia (meaning "sea phantom") is an extinct genus of anhanguerian pteranodontoid pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Toolebuc Formation (Eromanga Basin) of Australia. The genus contains a single species, H. peterseni, known from a partial skeleton with skull. Haliskia represents the most complete pterosaur known from Australia.
The Haliskia holotype specimen, KK F1426, was discovered by Kevin Petersen in November 2021 within sediments of the Toolebuc Formation (Dig Site 3) near Richmond in Queensland, Australia. The specimen consists of a partial skeleton preserved on multiple slabs. With approximately 22% of the skeleton known, Haliskia represents the most complete pterosaur currently described from the continent. The bones represented include the anterior part of the skull (including a partial premaxilla crest), the mandible, several isolated teeth, a cervical and dorsal vertebra, ribs, the left scapulocoracoid, bones of the fore- and hindlimbs, and other fragments. [1] [2]
In 2024, Pentland et al. described Haliskia peterseni as a new genus and species of anhanguerian pterosaurs based on these fossil remains. The generic name, Haliskia, combines the Greek words ἅλς (háls), meaning "sea", and σκῐᾱ́ (skiā́), referring to a "phantom", "shadow", or "evil spirit". The name invokes a flying phantom-like creature whose shadow haunted the prehistoric Eromanga Sea. The specific name, peterseni, honours Kevin Petersen, the discoverer and preparator of the holotype. [1] [2]
The holotype specimen of Haliskia represents a skeletally mature individual, as indicated by the fusion of the finger bones and scapulocoracoid. Based on more complete and proportionally similar relatives such as Arthurdactylus , the wingspan of Haliskia can be estimated at 4.6 metres (15 ft). [1] In comparison, the closely related Ferrodraco has a slightly smaller wingspan of around 4 metres (13 ft), [3] and Mythunga likely had a wingspan between 4–6 metres (13–20 ft). [4]
To test the affinities of Haliskia, Pentland et al. (2024) scored it in two phylogenetic datasets. Both resulting trees differed significantly in topology, relationships, and clade composition. However, in both trees, Haliskia was recovered in a clade with Ferrodraco , which is known from the slightly younger Winton Formation (Cenomanian–early Turonian). Both datasets also agreed that Haliskia can confidently be regarded as a member of the Ornithocheirae. [1]
Using the dataset of Holgado and Pêgas (2020), [5] the two genera were recovered in a polytomy with Mythunga , which is known from the same formation as Haliskia. This clade is the sister taxon to one formed by Siroccopteryx and Tropeognathus within the Tropeognathinae, similar to the results of Richards et al. (2023) who referred to these clades as the Mythungini and Tropeognathini, respectively. [6] The results of this matrix also placed tropeognathines within the Anhangueridae. These results are displayed below in Topology A. [1]
Using the dataset of Andres (2021), [7] Haliskia and Ferrodraco were found in a clade as the sister to the Ornithocheirinae within the Ornithocheiridae. The results of this matrix placed ornithocheirids as the sister taxon to anhangueirds. These results are displayed below in Topology B. [1]
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Cearadactylus is a genus of large anhanguerid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Romualdo Formation of Brazil, South America. Fossil remains of Cearadactylus dated back to the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous period, about 112 million years ago. The only known species is C. atrox, described and named in 1985 by Giuseppe Leonardi and Guido Borgomanero. The name refers to the Brazilian state Ceará, and combines this with Greek daktylos, "finger", a reference to the wing finger of pterosaurs. The Latin atrox means "frightful", a reference to the fearsome dentition of the species.
Tropeognathus is a genus of large pterosaurs from the late Early Cretaceous of South America. This genus is considered to be a member of the family Anhangueridae, however, several studies have also recovered it within another family called Ornithocheiridae. Both of these families are diverse groups of pterosaurs known for their keel-tipped snouts and large size. Tropeognathus is regarded as the largest pterosaur found in the Southern Hemisphere, only rivaled by the huge azhdarchids. The type and only species is Tropeognathus mesembrinus. Fossil remains of Tropeognathus have been recovered from the Romualdo Formation, which is a Lagerstätte located in the Santana Group of the Araripe Basin in northeastern Brazil.
Coloborhynchus is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur belonging to the family Anhangueridae, though it has also been recovered as a member of the Ornithocheiridae in some studies. Coloborhynchus is known from the Lower Cretaceous of England, and depending on which species are included, possibly the Albian and Cenomanian ages as well. Coloborhynchus was once thought to be the largest known toothed pterosaur, however, a specimen of the closely related Tropeognathus is now thought to have had a larger wingspan.
The Winton Formation is a Cretaceous geological formation in central-western Queensland, Australia. It is late Albian to early Turonian in age. The formation blankets large areas of central-western Queensland. It consists of sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, siltstone and claystone. The sediments that make up these rocks represent the remnants of the river plains that filled the basin left by the Eromanga Sea - an inland sea that covered large parts of Queensland and central Australia at least four times during the Early Cretaceous. Great meandering rivers, forest pools and swamps, creeks, lakes and coastal estuaries all left behind different types of sediment.
Ornithocheiridae is a group of pterosaurs within the suborder Pterodactyloidea. These pterosaurs were among the last to possess teeth. Members that belong to this group lived from the Early to Late Cretaceous periods, around 140 to 90 million years ago.
Mythunga is a genus of anhanguerid pterosaur from the late Early Cretaceous of Australia. Fossil remains of Mythunga dated back to the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous, and the animal itself was found to be a close relative of another Australian anhanguerid called Ferrodraco.
The Toolebuc Formation is a geological formation that extends from Queensland across South Australia and the Northern Territory in Australia, whose strata date back to the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, protostegid turtles, sharks, chimaeroids and bony fish remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
The Molecap Greensand is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation, located in the state of Western Australia in Australia.
Anhangueridae is a group of pterosaurs within the suborder Pterodactyloidea. They were among the last pterosaurs to possess teeth. A recent study discussing the group considered the Anhangueridae to be typified by a premaxillary crest and a lateral expansion in the distal rostrum. The same study presented a cladistic analysis, for which an "agreement subtree" was calculated. The Anhangueridae was found to be sister taxon to the large crested Tropeognathus.
Aussiedraco is a genus of targaryendraconian pterodactyloid pterosaur from the early Cretaceous of Australia.
Boreopteridae is a group of pterodactyloid pterosaurs from the Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China.
Lonchodraco is a genus of lonchodraconid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of southern England. The genus includes species that were previously assigned to other genera.
Anhangueria is a group of pterosaurs belonging to the clade Pteranodontoidea. Fossil remains of this group date back from the Early to Late Cretaceous periods, around 140 to 92.5 million years ago. Anhangueria was named by paleontologists Taissa Rodrigues and Alexander Kellner in a review of Ornithocheirus species in 2013, they defined the clade as a branch-based taxon consisting of all pteranodontoids more closely related to Anhanguera blittersdorffi than to Istiodactylus latidens and Cimoliopterus cuvieri.
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Ltd. (AAOD) is a nonprofit organization located in Winton, Queensland, founded by David Elliott and Judy Elliott in 2002. The organization’s activities include the operation of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, which holds annual dinosaur digs in the Winton Formation of Western Queensland and oversees the year-round operation of Australia's most productive dinosaur fossil preparation laboratory. Since 2005, the AAOD Museum has accumulated the largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils in the world and holds the holotype specimens of Diamantinasaurus matildae, Savannasaurus elliottorum, Australovenator wintonensis, Australia's most complete theropod skeleton, Ferrodraco lentoni, the first pterosaur to be named from the Winton Formation, and Confractosuchus sauroktonos. The museum is open to the public daily from April to October and is open six days a week from November to March. The site of the museum was designated a dark-sky preserve, the first International Dark-Sky Sanctuary in Australia, in 2019.
Maaradactylus is a genus of anhanguerid pterodactyloid pterosaur known from the Lower Cretaceous period of the Romualdo Formation of northeastern Brazil.
Ornithocheiromorpha is a group of pterosaurs within the suborder Pterodactyloidea. Fossil remains of this group date back from the Early to Late Cretaceous periods, around 140 to 92.5 million years ago. Ornithocheiromorphs were discovered worldwide except Antarctica, though most genera were recovered in Europe, Asia and South America. They were the most diverse and successful pterosaurs during the Early Cretaceous, but throughout the Late Cretaceous they were replaced by pteranodontians and azhdarchoids. The Ornithocheiromorpha was defined in 2014 by Andres and colleagues, and they made Ornithocheiromorpha the most inclusive clade containing Ornithocheirus, but not Pteranodon.
Ferrodraco is an extinct genus of anhanguerid pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous Winton Formation of Queensland, Australia, containing the single species F. lentoni. The species was named after the former mayor of Winton, Graham Thomas ‘Butch’ Lenton. It is the most complete pterosaur fossil from Australia, being known from the holotype specimen AODF 876, consisting primarily of the anterior portion of the skull and dentary, cervical vertebral centra and a partial wing. Its wingspan was estimated to be about 4 meters (13 ft). Ferrodraco was found to have been within the subfamily Ornithocheirinae, as sister taxon to Mythunga. A recent study also recovered Ferrodraco as sister taxon to Mythunga, but both placed within the family Anhangueridae, more specifically within the subfamily Tropeognathinae.
Tropeognathinae is an extinct subfamily of anhanguerid pterosaurs. Tropeognathine fossils have been found in Cretaceous deposits of Australia, Brazil, and Morocco.
Australotitan is an extinct genus of possibly titanosaurian somphospondylan dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Winton Formation (Cenomanian–Turonian) of southern-central Queensland, Australia. The genus contains a single species, A. cooperensis, known from multiple partial skeletons. The genus Australotitan may be synonymous with Diamantinasaurus, a contemporary relative.
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