| Mistralazhdarcho Temporal range: Maastrichtian, | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hypothetical life restoration | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | † Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | † Pterodactyloidea |
| Family: | † Azhdarchidae |
| Genus: | † Mistralazhdarcho Vullo et al., 2018 |
| Type species | |
| †Mistralazhdarcho maggii Vullo et al., 2018 | |
Mistralazhdarcho is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period (Campanian stage) of France. The type and only species is Mistralazhdarcho maggii. [1]
In 1992, Xavier Valentin at Velaux–La Bastide Neuve, in the south of France, discovered a rich fossil site. Between 2009 and 2012, pterosaur remains were excavated. [1] The pterosaur was reported in the scientific literature in 2015. [2]
In 2018, the type species Mistralazhdarcho maggii was named and described by Romain Vullo, Géraldine Garcia, Pascal Godefroit, Aude Cincotta and Xavier Valentin. The generic name connects the mistral, a northern wind typical for the area of discovery, with Azhdarcho , the type genus of the Azhdarchidae. The specific name honors Jean-Pierre Maggi, the mayor of Velaux, for his support of the La Bastide Neuve paleontological project. [1]
The holotype, MMS/VBN.09.C.001, was discovered in a sandstone layer of the Aix-en-Provence basin, dating from the late Campanian, about seventy-two million years old. It consists of a partial skeleton with skull. It contains the symphysis of the lower jaws, the atlas-axis complex of the front neck, a middle neck vertebra, the left humerus, a piece of the right humerus, the left radius, the right pteroid, the shaft of the fourth metacarpal, the proximal part of the first phalanx of the wing finger, the distal part of the same phalanx, and four bone fragments that could not be identified including some articular surface and two shafts. The skeleton was not found articulated but the bones were discovered on a limited surface of 5 square meters (54 sq ft) within the total surface of 140 square meters (1,500 sq ft) formed by the fossil layer. Therefore, it was concluded they represent a single individual. It is probably a subadult. [1]
Mistralazhdarcho is a large pterosaur. The humerus was estimated to have had an original length of 19 centimeters (7.5 in). This indicates a wingspan of 424 centimeters (13.91 ft) using a formula devised by Alexandr Averianov. Another possible method is to extrapolate the wingspan from the known skeleton of the azhdarchid Zhejiangopterus . This results in an estimate of 485 centimeters (15.91 ft). Both estimates seem to corroborate the hypothesis that the holotype individual had a span of about 4.5 meters (15 ft). However, it was not yet fully grown. It was estimated that an adult exemplar could have had a 5 to 6 meters (16 to 20 ft) wide wingspan. [1]
The describing authors indicated some distinguishing traits. One of these was an autapomorphy, a unique derived character. The upper surface of the symphysis of the lower jaws shows a well-developed elevation on the midline in a relatively forward position of 18 centimeters (7.1 in) behind the mandible tip, compared to 32 centimeters (13 in) with the related form Alanqa . A second trait is a possible autapomorphy only. The tip of the lower jaws is somewhat curved to below. However, its uniqueness is conditional on Aerotitan not having such a curved tip. This latter pterosaur was originally described as not having one but the authors, while studying Mistralazhdarcho, concluded that the Aerotitan description was likely mistaken and that its curved holotype did not represent the middle of the jaws but their front end. [1]
Additionally, a unique combination was given of traits that in themselves are not unique. The upper surface of the symphysis or fusion of the lower jaws shows elevated but blunt ridges on its edges. This symphysis has a V-shaped cross-section, thus lacking a lower crest. The underside of the atlas-axis complex of the neck is flat. In the middle neck vertebrae the front articulation processes, the prezygapophyses, lightly diverge. The humerus is relatively short compared to the radius, with 66% of its length. [1]
Mistralazhdarcho was placed in the Azhdarchidae in 2018, without an exact cladistic analysis. The elevation on the symphysis shared with Alanqa suggests a close relationship between the two genera. [1]
Mistralazhdarcho is the first pterosaur named from the Campanian to Maastrichtian of Western Europe. Mistralazhdarcho possibly represents an intermediate size-class of European azhdarchids, in-between the smaller Eurazhdarcho with a wingspan of 3 meters (9.8 ft) and the giant form Hatzegopteryx . [1]
Azhdarchidae is a family of pterosaurs known primarily from the Late Cretaceous Period, though an isolated vertebra apparently from an azhdarchid is known from the Early Cretaceous as well. Azhdarchids included some of the largest known flying animals of all time, but smaller cat-size members have also been found. Originally considered a sub-family of Pteranodontidae, Nesov (1984) named the Azhdarchinae to include the pterosaurs Azhdarcho, Quetzalcoatlus, and Titanopteryx. They were among the last known surviving members of the pterosaurs, and were a rather successful group with a worldwide distribution. By the time of the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, most pterosaur families except for the Azhdarchidae disappear from the fossil record, but recent studies indicate a wealth of pterosaurian fauna, including pteranodontids, nyctosaurids, tapejarids and several indeterminate forms. In several analyses, some taxa such as Navajodactylus, Bakonydraco and Montanazhdarcho were moved from Azhdarchidae to other clades.
Montanazhdarcho is a genus of azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of what is now the state of Montana, United States. Montanazhdarcho is known from only one species, M. minor.
Bakonydraco is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of what is now the Csehbánya Formation of the Bakony Mountains, Iharkút, Veszprém, western Hungary.
Nurhachius is a genus of istiodactylid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Barremian to Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang, Liaoning, China. Its fossil remains dated back about 120 million years ago.
Aralazhdarcho is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur from the Santonian to the early Campanian stages of the Late Cretaceous period of Bostobe Svita in Kazakhstan. The type and only known species is Aralazhdarcho bostobensis.
Cretornis is a pterosaur genus from the late Cretaceous period of what is now the Jizera Formation in the Czech Republic, dating to about 92 million years ago. It only contains a single species, Cretornis hlavaci.
Argiles et Grès à Reptiles Formation also known as the Argiles Rutilantes Formation is an early Maastrichtian French geologic formation in the département of Var preserving the remains of several types of dinosaurs and other extinct organisms.
Alanqa is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of what is now the Kem Kem Beds of southeastern Morocco. The name Alanqa comes from the Arabic word العنقاءal-‘Anqā’, for a mythical bird of Arabian culture.
Navajodactylus is an extinct genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur from Late Cretaceous deposits of the San Juan Basin in New Mexico, United States.
Batyrosaurus is an extinct genus of herbivorous basal hadrosauroid dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous Bostobe Formation of central Kazakhstan. It contains a single species, Batyrosaurus rozhdestvenskyi. It is possible that Batyrosaurus represents the same taxon as the doubtful Arstanosaurus akkurganensis as both were found from the same formation.
Europejara is a genus of tapejarid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous period of Spain. The type and only species known is Europejara olcadesorum.
Aerotitan is a genus of large azhdarchid pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous period of what is now the Allen Formation of the Neuquén Basin in northern Patagonia, Argentina.
Eurazhdarcho is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of what is now the Transylvanian Basin of Romania. Its fossil remains dated back 69 million years ago.
Xericeps is a genus of pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous Kem Kem Beds of southeastern Morocco.
Argentinadraco is an extinct genus of azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous Portezuelo Formation of Argentina. It contains a single species, A. barrealensis, named in 2017 by Alexander Kellner and Jorge Calvo. Argentinadraco is unusual for bearing a bottom jaw with a concave bottom edge, as well as a pair of ridges and depressions on the top surface. These features distinguish it from all other azhdarchoid groups, complicating its assignment, but it may belong to the Chaoyangopteridae. The ridges on the lower jaw may have been used to feed on small invertebrates in loose sediment within the system of lakes and rivers that it resided in.
Cryodrakon is a genus of azhdarchid pterosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Canada. It contains a single species, Cryodrakon boreas, recovered from the Dinosaur Park Formation.
Albadraco is an azhdarchid pterosaur genus that during the Late Cretaceous lived in the area of modern Romania. The type species is Albadraco tharmisensis.
Mimodactylus is a genus of mimodactylid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of what is now Lebanon.
Apatorhamphus is an extinct genus of azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Kem Kem Group of Morocco. It might have been part of the Chaoyangopteridae. It is only known from a few snout fragments and it likely had a wingspan of between 3–7 metres (9.8–23.0 ft)
Thanatosdrakon is a genus of quetzalcoatline pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous Plottier Formation of the Neuquén Basin in western Argentina. The genus name is derived from the Greek words thanatos (=death) and drakon (=dragon), while the specific name is a Quechuan word meaning "flying serpent" and refers to the Incan deity Amaru. The type and only species is Thanatosdrakon amaru, known from two specimens consisting of several well-preserved axial and appendicular bones including material previously undescribed in giant azhdarchids. Thanatosdrakon is one of the oldest known members of the Quetzalcoatlinae. T. amaru lived from about 90 to 86 million years ago.
