Open AccessOsteology of an exceptionally well-preserved tapejarid skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the anatomy of a curious pterodactyloid clade
Author(s) -
Victor Beccari,
Felipe L. Pinheiro,
Ivan Nunes,
Luiz Eduardo Anelli,
Octávio Mateus,
Fabiana Rodrigues Costa
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0254789
Subject(s) - postcrania , osteology , skull , anatomy , skeleton (computer programming) , crest , biology , axial skeleton , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics , taxon
A remarkably well-preserved, almost complete and articulated new specimen (GP/2E 9266) of Tupandactylus navigans is here described for the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil. The new specimen comprises an almost complete skeleton, preserving both the skull and post-cranium, associated with remarkable preservation of soft tissues, which makes it the most complete tapejarid known thus far. CT-Scanning was performed to allow the assessment of bones still covered by sediment. The specimen can be assigned to Tupa . navigans due to its vertical supra-premaxillary bony process and short and rounded parietal crest. It also bears the largest dentary crest among tapejarine pterosaurs and a notarium, which is absent in other representatives of the clade. The new specimen is here regarded as an adult individual. This is the first time that postcranial remains of Tupa . navigans are described, being also an unprecedented record of an articulated tapejarid skeleton from the Araripe Basin.