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Anhanguera (pterosaur)
Encyclopedia
Anhanguera is a genus of pterodactyloid pterosaur
known from the Lower-Cretaceous
(Aptian
age, 112Ma) Santana Formation
of Brazil
, with referred specimens found in the Upper Chalk Formation and Cambridge Greensand
of the UK (up to the late Cenomanian
age, 94Ma). This pterosaur is closely related to Ornithocheirus
, and belongs in the family Ornithocheiridae
within its own subfamily, Anhanguerinae.
-eating animal with a wingspan of about 4.5 m (15 ft). Like many other ornithocheirids, Anhanguera had a rounded crests at front of its upper and lower jaws, which were filled with angled, conical but curved teeth of various sizes and orientations. Like many of its relatives, the jaws were tapered in width, but expanded into a broad, spoon-shaped rosette at the tip. It is distinguished from its relatives by subtle differences in the crest and teeth: unlike its close relatives Coloborhynchus
and Ornithocheirus
, the crest on the upper jaw of Anhanguera did not begin at the tip of the snout, but was set farther back on the skull. Like many ornithocheiroids, (most notably the pteranodonts
but also in ornithocheirids such as Ludodactylus
) Anhanguera had an additional crest protruding from the back of the skull. However, it was reduced to a small, blunt projection in these animals.
A study in 2003 showed that Anhanguera held its head at an angle to the ground due to its inner ear
structure, which helped the animal detect its balance
.
and then Ornithocheirus, are from a slightly later period (Albian
) from England, while fragments of pterosaurs that may have affinities with Anhanguera have also been found in Queensland, Australia. The well-known species A. piscator has been redescribed as belonging to the genus Coloborhynchus
(Veldmeijer, 2003).
Pterosaur
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight...
known from the Lower-Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
(Aptian
Aptian
The Aptian is an age in the geologic timescale or a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early or Lower Cretaceous epoch or series and encompasses the time from 125.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 112.0 ± 1.0 Ma , approximately...
age, 112Ma) Santana Formation
Santana Formation
The Santana Formation is a geologic Lagerstätte in northeastern Brazil's Araripe Basin where the states of Pernambuco, Piauí and Ceará come together. The geological formation, named after the village of Santana do Cariri, lies at the base of the Araripe Plateau...
of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, with referred specimens found in the Upper Chalk Formation and Cambridge Greensand
Cambridge Greensand
The Cambridge Greensand is a geological formation in England whose strata date back to the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.-Vertebrate paleofauna:...
of the UK (up to the late Cenomanian
Cenomanian
The Cenomanian is, in the ICS' geological timescale the oldest or earliest age of the Late Cretaceous epoch or the lowest stage of the Upper Cretaceous series. An age is a unit of geochronology: it is a unit of time; the stage is a unit in the stratigraphic column deposited during the corresponding...
age, 94Ma). This pterosaur is closely related to Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus was a pterosaur from the Cretaceous period of Europe and South America...
, and belongs in the family Ornithocheiridae
Ornithocheiridae
Ornithocheiridae is a group of pterosaurs within the suborder Pterodactyloidea. They were among the last pterosaurs to possess teeth.-Classification:Listing of genera after Unwin , except where noted.* Family Ornithocheiridae** ?Aetodactylus...
within its own subfamily, Anhanguerinae.
Description
Anhanguera was a fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
-eating animal with a wingspan of about 4.5 m (15 ft). Like many other ornithocheirids, Anhanguera had a rounded crests at front of its upper and lower jaws, which were filled with angled, conical but curved teeth of various sizes and orientations. Like many of its relatives, the jaws were tapered in width, but expanded into a broad, spoon-shaped rosette at the tip. It is distinguished from its relatives by subtle differences in the crest and teeth: unlike its close relatives Coloborhynchus
Coloborhynchus
Coloborhynchus is a genus in the pterosaur family Ornithocheiridae, and is known from the Lower Cretaceous of England , and possibly the Aptian age of Brazil and Texas, depending on which species are included.-Description:The type specimen of Coloborhynchus is known only from a partial upper jaw...
and Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus
Ornithocheirus was a pterosaur from the Cretaceous period of Europe and South America...
, the crest on the upper jaw of Anhanguera did not begin at the tip of the snout, but was set farther back on the skull. Like many ornithocheiroids, (most notably the pteranodonts
Pteranodontidae
The Pteranodontidae are a family of large pterosaurs of the Cretaceous Period of North America.The family was named in 1876 by Othniel Charles Marsh....
but also in ornithocheirids such as Ludodactylus
Ludodactylus
Ludodactylus was a genus of ornithocheirid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Aptian-age Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Ceará, Brazil....
) Anhanguera had an additional crest protruding from the back of the skull. However, it was reduced to a small, blunt projection in these animals.
A study in 2003 showed that Anhanguera held its head at an angle to the ground due to its inner ear
Inner ear
The inner ear is the innermost part of the vertebrate ear. In mammals, it consists of the bony labyrinth, a hollow cavity in the temporal bone of the skull with a system of passages comprising two main functional parts:...
structure, which helped the animal detect its balance
Balance (ability)
In biomechanics, balance is an ability to maintain the center of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway. When exercising the ability to balance, one is said to be balancing....
.
Classification and species
There are several recognized species of Anhanguera. A. santanae and A. blittersdorfi are known from several fragmentary remains including skulls from the Santana Formation of Brazil. A. cuvieri and A. fittoni, initially described as belonging to the genus PterodactylusPterodactylus
Pterodactylus is a genus of pterosaurs, whose members are popularly known as pterodactyls. It was the first to be named and identified as a flying reptile...
and then Ornithocheirus, are from a slightly later period (Albian
Albian
The Albian is both an age of the geologic timescale and a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early/Lower Cretaceous epoch/series. Its approximate time range is 112.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 99.6 ± 0.9 Ma...
) from England, while fragments of pterosaurs that may have affinities with Anhanguera have also been found in Queensland, Australia. The well-known species A. piscator has been redescribed as belonging to the genus Coloborhynchus
Coloborhynchus
Coloborhynchus is a genus in the pterosaur family Ornithocheiridae, and is known from the Lower Cretaceous of England , and possibly the Aptian age of Brazil and Texas, depending on which species are included.-Description:The type specimen of Coloborhynchus is known only from a partial upper jaw...
(Veldmeijer, 2003).
List of species and synonyms
Species which have been assigned to Anhanguera by various scientists since 2000 include:- A. cuvieri (Bowerbanks 1851) = OrnithocheirusOrnithocheirusOrnithocheirus was a pterosaur from the Cretaceous period of Europe and South America...
cuvieri = Pterodactylus cuvieri Bowerbank 1851 - A. fittoni (Owen 1858) = PterodactylusPterodactylusPterodactylus is a genus of pterosaurs, whose members are popularly known as pterodactyls. It was the first to be named and identified as a flying reptile...
fittoni Owen 1858 - ?A. araripensis (Wellnhofer 1985) = Santanadactylus araripensis Wellnhofer 1985 [also classified as Coloborhynchus]
- A. blittersdorffi Campos & Kellner 1985 type speciesType speciesIn biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
[also classified as Coloborhynchus] - A. santanae (Wellnhofer 1985) = Araripesaurus santanae Wellnhofer 1985
- ?A. robustus (Wellnhofer 1987) = Tropeognathus robustus Wellnhofer 1987 [also classified as Coloborhynchus]
- ?A. ligabuei (Dalla Vecchia 1993) = CearadactylusCearadactylusCearadactylus is an extinct genus of large, Early Cretaceous pterosaur from South America. The type species is Cearadactylus atrox, described and named in 1985 by Giuseppe Leonardi and Guido Borgomanero. The genus name refers to the Brazilian state Ceará and combines this with Greek daktylos,...
ligabuei Dalla Vecchia 1993 [also classified as Coloborhynchus or Cearadactylus] - ?A. piscator Kellner & Tomida 2000 [also classified as Coloborhynchus]
- ?A. spielbergi Veldmeijer 2003 [also classified as Coloborhynchus]