Lacusovagus

Lacusovagus Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 120  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Holotype specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	† Pterosauria
Suborder:	† Pterodactyloidea
Clade:	† Azhdarchoidea
Clade:	† Concilazhia
Family:	† Chaoyangopteridae (?)
Genus:	† Lacusovagus Witton, 2008
Species:	†L. magnificens
Binomial name
†Lacusovagus magnificens Witton, 2008

Lacusovagus (meaning "lake wanderer") is a genus of azhdarchoid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil.

Discovery and naming

It is based on SMNK PAL 4325, a partial upper jaw comprising sections of the skull in front of the eyes. This specimen was found in rocks of the Early Cretaceous-age (probably Aptian stage, about 120 to 93 million years ago) Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation.

Description

The skull was long, and unusually wide. The section in front of the combined nasal-antorbital fenestra was relatively short. Also unusual was the combination of its toothless jaws and no bony head crest. Lacusovagus was described in 2008 by Mark Witton. The type species is L. magnificens, meaning "grand lake wanderer", in reference to its large size—it is currently the largest pterosaur known from the Crato Formation with an estimated wingspan of approximately 4 metres (13 ft) and a body mass of 30 kg (66 lb). ^{[1] [2]}

Classification

Lacusovagus shares many characteristics with the basal azhdarchoid family Chaoyangopteridae. Preliminary studies suggested it was a member of that clade, ^[1] and a position within Chaoyangopteridae has been supported by numerous subsequent studies. ^{[3] [4] [5]} However, alternative phylogenetic analyses have recovered it within the genus Tupuxuara , a member of the Thalassodromidae, ^[6] or within Tapejaridae. ^[7]

See also

• List of pterosaur genera
• Timeline of pterosaur research
• Pterosaur size

References

1. Witton, Mark P. (2008). "A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Crato Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Aptian?) of Brazil". Palaeontology. 51 (6): 1289–1300. Bibcode:2008Palgy..51.1289W. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2008.00811.x .
2. Paul, Gregory S. (2022). The Princeton Field Guide to Pterosaurs. Princeton University Press. p. 155. doi:10.1515/9780691232218. ISBN   978-0-691-23221-8.
3. Leal, Maria E. C.; Pêgas, Rodrigo V.; Bonde, Niels; Kellner, Alexander W. A. (2018). "Cervical vertebrae of an enigmatic pterosaur from the Crato Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Araripe Basin, NE Brazil)". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 455 (1): 195–208. Bibcode:2018GSLSP.455..195L. doi:10.1144/SP455.15.
4. Pêgas, Rodrigo V. (2025). "A taxonomic note on the tapejarid pterosaurs from the Pterosaur Graveyard site (Caiuá Group, ?Early Cretaceous of Southern Brazil): Evidence for the presence of two species". Historical Biology. 37 (5): 1277–1298. Bibcode:2025HBio...37.1277P. doi:10.1080/08912963.2024.2355664.
5. Pinheiro, Felipe L.; Kellner, Alexander W.A.; Silva, João L. DA; Duque, Rudah R.C.; Sayão, Juliana M.; Araújo, Esaú V. DE; Costa, Fabiana R.; Buchmann, Richard; Cerqueira, Gabriela M.; Canejo, Lucas; Beccari, Victor; Bantim, Renan A.M.; Holgado, Borja; Pêgas, Rubi V. (2025). "Cretaceous Pterosaurs of the Araripe Basin: A Comprehensive Taxonomic Update and Paleobiological Insights". Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências. 97 e20250622. doi:10.1590/0001-3765202520250622.
6. Wu, W.-H.; Zhou, C.-F.; Andres, B. (2017). "The toothless pterosaur Jidapterus edentus (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchoidea) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and its paleoecological implications". PLOS ONE. 12 (9) e0185486. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1285486W. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185486 . PMC   5614613 . PMID   28950013.
7. Andres, Brian (2021). "Phylogenetic systematics of Quetzalcoatlus Lawson 1975 (Pterodactyloidea:Azhdarchoidea)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 41: 203–217. Bibcode:2021JVPal..41S.203A. doi:10.1080/02724634.2020.1801703.

External links

• Informal discussion of Lacusovagus by its describer