Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus 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 : 46-47

Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus Seeley, 1870 (nomen dubium) Fig. 19A-B

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

Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus Seeley: Seeley 1870: p. 117

Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus Seeley: Hooley 1914: p. 535

Holotype.

CAMSM B 54612, anterior fragment of an upper jaw ( Fig. 19A-B ).

Type locality.

Smithswashing, Coton, Cambridgeshire, England.

Type horizon.

Cambridge Greensand (Cenomanian; fossils Albian in age).

Description.

Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus was described by Seeley (1870) based on CAMSM B 54612, a portion of an upper jaw, with a palatal ridge and some alveoli. However, the specimen is incomplete and lacks any features that justify recognition of a distinct species. We here regard it as a nomen dubium.

Remarks.

Unwin (2001) classified it as a nomen nudum; however, it has a proper description (like most of the new species described by Seeley in 1870) so it is not technically a nomen nudum.

Figures

Figure 19. A-B Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus, holotype CAMSM B 54612 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum. A ventral view B respective line drawing. C-E Ornithocheirus scaphorhynchus, holotype CAMSM B 54441 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum C ventral view D respective line drawing E line drawing in posterior view. F-I Ornithocheirus tenuirostris, holotype CAMSM B 54584 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum F right lateral view G respective line drawing H ventral view I respective line drawing. J-K Ornithocheirus xyphorhynchus, holotype (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum J lateral view K dorsal view. Abbreviations: m - maxillae, pm - premaxillae, prid - palatal ridge, sul - sulcus. Arrows and numbers indicate alveoli or teeth and their respective position. Scale bar = 10 mm. J and K from Seeley 1881.