Chen He, Jiang Shunxing, Kellner Alexander W A, Cheng Xin, Zhang Xinjun, Qiu Rui, Li Yang, Wang Xiaolin
Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China.
PeerJ. 2020 Apr 1;8:e8741. doi: 10.7717/peerj.8741. eCollection 2020.
Pterosaur specimens with complete and well-preserved palatal region are rare. Here we describe new and previously collected specimens of the pterodactyloid pterosaur that are three-dimensionally preserved and provide new anatomical information for this species. Among the unique features is a lateral process of the pterygoid divided into two parts: an anterior thin, parabolic arc shaped element that separates the secondary subtemporal and the subtemporal fenestrae, followed by a dorsoventrally flattened portion that is directed inside the subtemporal fenestrae. The interpterygoid fenestrae join forming an irregular oval shape with two symmetrical posterior notches and a smooth anterior margin. Among all pterosaurs where the palate is known, the posterior configuration of the palate of is similar to some azhdarchoids, which is consistent with the suggested phylogenetic position of the Dsungaripteridae as closely related to the Azhdarchoidea. Furthermore, we identify symmetrical grooves on the lateral surface of the upper and lower jaws, that likely represent the impression of the edge of a keratinous sheath that would cover the upturned toothless rostrum during foraging activity, most likely consisting of hard elements, as has been previously assumed. Wear facets on the teeth also support this feeding mode.
保存有完整且保存完好的腭部区域的翼龙标本非常罕见。在此，我们描述了新的以及之前收集的三维保存的翼手龙类翼龙标本，并为该物种提供了新的解剖学信息。其独特特征包括：翼骨的外侧突分为两部分，前部是薄的、呈抛物线弧形的元素，将次生颞下孔和颞下孔分隔开，后面是一个背腹扁平的部分，指向颞下孔内部。翼间孔相连形成一个不规则的椭圆形，有两个对称的后凹口和一个光滑的前缘。在所有已知腭部结构的翼龙中，该翼龙腭部的后部结构与一些神龙翼龙超科相似，这与准噶尔翼龙科与神龙翼龙超科密切相关的系统发育位置推测一致。此外，我们在上颌骨和下颌骨的外侧表面发现了对称的凹槽，这些凹槽可能代表了角质鞘边缘的印记，在觅食活动期间，角质鞘会覆盖向上弯曲的无齿喙部，很可能如之前所推测的那样由坚硬的元素组成。牙齿上的磨损面也支持这种进食方式。
