Lacusovagus
Encyclopedia
Lacusovagus is a genus
of azhdarchoid
pterodactyloid
pterosaur
from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil
. 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 million years ago) Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation
. 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 4.1 meters (13.4 ft).
Lacusovagus shares many characteristics with the basal azhdarchoid family Chaoyangopteridae
, and preliminary studies suggested it was a member of that clade.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of azhdarchoid
Azhdarchoidea
Azhdarchoidea is a group of pterosaurs within the suborder Pterodactyloidea.-Classification:Listing of families and genera after Unwin 2006 except where specified.* Superfamily Azhdarchoidea** Genus "Aurorazhdarcho"** Family Chaoyangopteridae...
pterodactyloid
Pterodactyloidea
Pterodactyloidea forms one of the two suborders of pterosaurs , and contains the most derived members of this group of flying reptiles...
pterosaur
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...
from the Lower Cretaceous 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...
. It is based on
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
SMNK PAL 4325, a partial upper jaw
Rostrum (anatomy)
The term rostrum is used for a number of unrelated structures in different groups of animals:*In crustaceans, the rostrum is the forward extension of the carapace in front of the eyes....
comprising sections of the skull in front of
Anatomical terms of location
Standard anatomical terms of location are designations employed in science that deal with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities that might otherwise arise. They are not language-specific, and thus require no translation...
the eyes. This specimen was found in rocks of the Early Cretaceous-age (probably 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...
stage, about 120 million years ago) Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation
Crato Formation
The Crato Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous age in northeastern Brazil's Araripe Basin. It is an important Lagerstätte for palaeontologists. The strata were laid down mostly during the early Albian age, about 108 million years ago, in a shallow inland sea...
. The skull was long, and unusually wide. The section in front of the combined nasal
Nostril
A nostril is one of the two channels of the nose, from the point where they bifurcate to the external opening. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbinates, whose function is to warm air on inhalation and remove moisture on exhalation...
-antorbital fenestra
Antorbital fenestra
An antorbital fenestra is an opening in the skull, in front of the eye sockets. This skull formation first appeared in archosaurs during the Triassic Period. Living birds today possess antorbital fenestrae, but the feature has been lost in modern crocodilians...
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
Type species
In 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...
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 4.1 meters (13.4 ft).
Lacusovagus shares many characteristics with the basal azhdarchoid family Chaoyangopteridae
Chaoyangopteridae
The Chaoyangopteridae are a family of pterosaurs within the Azhdarchoidea.The clade Chaoyangopteridae was first defined in 2008 by Lü Junchang and David Unwin as: "Chaoyangopterus, Shenzhoupterus, their most recent common ancestor and all taxa more closely related to this clade than to Tapejara,...
, and preliminary studies suggested it was a member of that clade.