Ornithocheirus dentatus Seeley, 1870

Rodrigues, Taissa & Kellner, Alexander Wilhelm Armin, 2013, Taxonomic review of the Ornithocheirus complex (Pterosauria) from the Cretaceous of England, ZooKeys 308, pp. 1-112 : 43-44

Ornithocheirus dentatus Seeley, 1870 (nomen dubium) Fig. 17E-H

"Ptenodactylus" dentatus Seeley: Seeley 1869: p. xvi [disclaimed]

Ornithocheirus dentatus Seeley: Seeley 1870: p. 119

Ornithocheirus dentatus Seeley: Hooley 1914: p. 535

Anhanguera cuvieri (Bowerbank): Unwin 2001: table 1

Holotype.

CAMSM B 54544, anterior portion of the rostrum ( Fig. 17E-H ).

Type locality.

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.

Type horizon.

Cambridge Greensand (Cenomanian; fossils Albian in age).

Description.

Seeley (1870) described Ornithocheirus dentatus based on a fragmentary anterior portion of an upper jaw. Interestingly, CAMSM B 54544 lacks a fully developed alveolus on the right side (possibly the third), but differing from Camposipterus(?) sedgwickii and Anhanguera blittersdorffi (Pz-DBAV UERJ 40) because its margins are slightly marked. In the other specimens, the margins are completely absent.

Seeley (1870) compared and distinguished Ornithocheirus dentatus from Ornithocheirus [= Camposipterus(?) ] sedgwickii based on a wider palate and smaller teeth. It is hard to understand what he meant by wider palate, since CAMSM B 54544 is quite smaller individual in comparison to the holotype of Camposipterus(?) sedgwickii , but both species can be further distinguished by the lack of an anterior expansion and of a dorsally curved palate in Ornithocheirus dentatus , besides a lower rostrum in the latter.

Unwin (2001) synonymized Ornithocheirus dentatus with Anhanguera [= Cimoliopterus ] cuvieri. However, Seeley (1870) had already noticed that both species can be differentiated by the presence of smaller alveoli, which are placed more closely together. It can also be excluded from the Lonchodraconidae as it does not possess a deep palatal ridge or alveoli placed on elevations. Due to fragmentary state of CAMSM B 54544, we regard Ornithocheirus dentatus as a nomen dubium.

Figures

Figure 17. A-D Ornithocheirus crassidens, holotype CAMSM B 54499 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior fragment of the rostrum. A right lateral view B respective line drawing C ventral view D respective line drawing. E-H Ornithocheirus dentatus, holotype CAMSM B 54544 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum E right lateral view F respective line drawing G ventral view H respective line drawing. Abbreviations :: m - maxillae, pm - premaxillae, prid - palatal ridge. Arrows and numbers indicate alveoli or teeth and their respective position. Scale bar = 10 mm.