Zhenyuanopterus

Zhenyuanopterus
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 124.6 Ma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: Pterosauria
Suborder: Pterodactyloidea
Family: Boreopteridae
Subfamily: Boreopterinae
Genus: Zhenyuanopterus
Lü, 2010
Species:  Z. longirostris
Binomial name
Zhenyuanopterus longirostris
Lü, 2010

Zhenyuanopterus is a genus of pterosaur which is known from Lower Cretaceous (early Aptian) Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China.[1]

Paleaoecology

It has been suggested that Zhenyuanopterus foraged while swimming, trapping prey within its needle-like teeth, a method similar to that of modern Platanista river dolphins, which display a similar dentition.[2]

It has been often suggested that this animal is actually the adult of its close relative Boreopterus, which is known to be a juvenile.[2]

References

  1. Lü, J. (2010). "A new boreopterid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, northeastern China". Acta Geologica Sinica 24: 241–246. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2010.00204.x.
  2. 1 2 Mark Witton, 2011
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