Lower Cretaceous Period
Nemicolopterus crypticus
Fossil Skeleton of a small, sub-mature individual representing one of the smallest pterosaur species so far discovered.
Holotype: Institute of Vertebrate. Paleontology and Paleoanthropology., Academy of Science, Beijing, China. IVPP V14377.
Wang, X., Kellner, A. W. A., Zhou, Z. and Campos, D. de. A. 2008. Discovery of a rare arboreal forest-dwelling flying reptile (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from China. PNAS published February 11, 2008.
Abstract
A previously undescribed toothless flying reptile from northeastern
China, Nemicolopterus crypticus gen. et sp. nov., was
discovered in the lacustrine sediments of the Early Cretaceous
Jiufotang Formation, western Liaoning, China. The specimen
consists of an almost complete articulated skeleton (IVPP V14377)
and, despite representing an immature individual, based on the
ossification of the skeleton, it is not a hatchling or newborn,
making it one of the smallest pterosaurs known so far (wing span
~250
mm). It can be distinguished from all other pterosaurs by the
presence of a short medial nasal process, an inverted
"knife-shaped" deltopectoral crest of the humerus, and the
presence of a well developed posterior process on the femur above
the articulation with the tibia. It further shows the penultimate
phalanges of the foot curved in a degree not reported in any
pterosaur before, strongly indicating that it had an arboreal
lifestyle, more than any other pterodactyloid pterosaur known so
far. It is the sister-group of the Ornithocheiroidea and
indicates that derived pterosaurs, including some gigantic forms
of the Late Cretaceous with wingspans of >6 m, are closely
related to small arboreal toothless creatures that likely were
living in the canopies of the ancient forests feeding on insects.