Introducing Lacusovagus magnificens
A new genus of flying reptile has been named and described from a 115-million-year-old pterosaur fossil from Brazil.
Classified as a member of the Chaoyangopteridae (chow-yang-op-teri-day) and members of the Neoazhdarchia (nee-oh-az-darr-key-ah), these Cretaceous pterosaurs have been somewhat overlooked when it comes to the huge azhdarchid pterosaurs that survived until the very end of the Late Cretaceous, giants such as Quetzalcoatlus for example.
Cretaceous Pterosaurs
True, these animals were widespread with fossils assigned to the Chaoyangopteridae from China, the Lebanon and with the discovery of L. magnifens – Brazil. Unlike much of the Chinese fossil material, which has revealed a number of nearly complete specimens. The fossil from Brazil is only represented by a large, but broken snout (Brazilian Crato Formation). It is likely that this pterosaur material dates from the Aptian faunal stage of the Cretaceous.
Lacusovagus magnificens
To read more about this new Pterosaur fossil discovery: New Pterosaur Fossil From Brazil.
Pterosaur Fossil
Little research has been done to date on the palaeoecology of this group of pterosaurs, despite the excellent Chinese fossil material. The small feet associated with a number of the Chinese specimens rules out some sort of wading habit. It is most likely that these flying reptiles were generalists catching small prey items, feeding of plant material or perhaps scavenging carrion.
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