Cimoliopterus cuvieri, Rodrigues & Kellner, 2013

Rodrigues, Taissa & Kellner, Alexander Wilhelm Armin, 2013, Taxonomic review of the Ornithocheirus complex (Pterosauria) from the Cretaceous of England, ZooKeys 308, pp. 1-112 : 31-33

Cimoliopterus cuvieri comb. n. Fig. 11

Pterodactylus cuvieri Bowerbank: Bowerbank 1851: p. 15, pl.IV

Pterodactylus cuvieri Bowerbank: Owen 1851b: p. 29

Pterodactylus cuvieri Bowerbank: Owen 1851a: p. 88, pl. XXVIII, fig. 1-7

"Ptenodactylus" cuvieri (Bowerbank): Seeley 1869: p. xvi [disclaimed]

Ornithocheirus cuvieri (Bowerbank): Seeley 1870: p. 113

Coloborhynchus cuvieri (Bowerbank): Owen 1874: p. 6

Ornithochirus [sic] cuvieri (Bowerbank): Lydekker 1888: p. 12

Ornithocheirus cuvieri (Bowerbank): Hooley 1914: p. 535

Ornithocheirus cuvieri (Bowerbank): Arthaber 1922: p. 16, fig. 6

Ornithocheirus cuvieri (Bowerbank): Wellnhofer 1978: p. 56, fig. 28

Anhanguera cuvieri (Bowerbank): Unwin 2001: p. 208, table 1

Holotype.

NHMUK PV 39409, anterior portion of the rostrum ( Fig. 11A-D ).

Type locality.

Burham, Kent, England.

Type horizon.

Chalk Formation (Cenomanian / Turonian).

Diagnosis.

Pterodactyloid pterosaur with the following combination of characters that distinguishes it from other members of the clade (autapomorphies are marked with an asterisk): premaxillary crest present; premaxillary crest begins posteriorly (at the seventh pair of alveoli) but before the nasoantorbital fenestra*; palatal ridge extending anteriorly up to the third pair of alveoli; second and third alveoli similar in size and larger than the fourth; spacing between alveoli irregular, with the anterior alveoli more closely spaced and the posterior ones more widely separated from each other; almost 3 alveoli per 3 cm of jaw margin anteriorly and 2 alveoli each 3 cm posteriorly*; anterior expansion absent; palate dorsally curved.

Description.

Bowerbank (1851) described Pterodactylus cuvieri based on the holotype NHMUK PV 39409, which was recovered from the same pit in Burham as the holotype of Lonchodraco giganteus . NHMUK PV 39409 comprises a partial upper jaw. It is narrow in the preserved portion, without an anterior expansion of the rostrum, and presents a premaxillary crest which begins opposite to the seventh pair of alveoli ( Bowerbank 1851). Bowerbank (1851) pointed out that the first pair of alveoli is located anteriorly, with the teeth projecting somewhat forwards, and that the spacing between the alveoli is about 1.5 times their diameter, the alveoli being irregularly placed and nearly equidistant. However, the spacing varies, with the first three pairs of alveoli more closely spaced.

NHMUK PV 39409 was originally reported as having a tooth preserved in the first right alveolus. During examination of the holotype in 2007 and 2009, the tooth was no longer preserved with the holotype and could not be found.

Cimoliopterus cuvieri differs from Coloborhynchus clavirostris in the lack of an anteriorly flat rostrum, premaxillary crest at the tip of the rostrum, anterior expansion, or the other diagnostic characters of that species ( Rodrigues and Kellner 2008). In light of the identification of Ornithocheirus simus as type species of Ornithocheirus , Cimoliopterus cuvieri can be excluded from this genus by the possession of a low rostrum and the first pair of alveoli facing forwards. It can also be excluded from Anhanguera because it does not possess an anterior expansion of the rostrum (diagnostic for Anhangueridae ) nor the fourth and fifth alveoli smaller than the third and sixth (diagnostic for Anhanguera ). Furthermore, anhanguerids have a premaxillary crest that begins at or near the tip of the rostrum. The more posterior position of the crest in Cimoliopterus cuvieri may indicate that these crests evolved separately. Anhanguera is so far definitely known only from the Romualdo Formation of Brazil (e.g., Kellner and Tomida 2000), which is Albian in age ( Pons et al. 1990). A few dozen anhanguerid crania are known, none of which has a posteriorly located premaxillary crest. Therefore, we place Cimoliopterus cuvieri in a new, currently monospecific genus.

Figures

Figure 11. Cimoliopterus cuvieri. Holotype NHMUK PV 39409 (Cenomanian / Turonian, Chalk Formation), anterior part of the rostrum A right lateral view B respective line drawing C ventral view D respective line drawing. Abbreviations: m - maxillae, pm - premaxillae, pmcr - premaxillary crest, prid - palatal ridge. Arrows and numbers indicate alveoli or teeth and their respective position. Scale bar = 10 mm. Photos courtesy of The Natural History Museum.