Project 3951: X. Zhou, R. V. Pêgas, W. Ma, G. Han, X. Jin, M. E. Leal, N. Bonde, Y. Kobayashi, S. Lautenschlager, X. Wei, C. Shen, S. Ji. 2021. A new darwinopteran pterosaur reveals arborealism and an opposed thumb. Current Biology. epub ahead of print:none yet.
Specimen: † Kunpengopterus antipollicatus (BPMC:0042)
View: Skull in right lateral view, body in ventral view.

Abstract

Pterosaurs, which lived during the Mesozoic, were the first known vertebrates to evolve powered flight. Arboreal locomotion has been proposed for some taxa and even considered to have played a role in the origin of pterosaur flight but such propositions still lack unambiguous evidences and comprehensive ecomorphological analyses. Furthermore, skeletal adaptations correlated to specialized lifestyles are often difficult to recognize and interpret in fossils. Here we report on a new darwinopteran pterosaur that inhabited a unique forest ecosystem from the Jurassic of China. The new species exhibits the oldest record of palmar (or true) opposition of the pollex, which is unprecedented for pterosaurs and represents a sophisticated adaptation related to arboreal locomotion. Principle coordinate analyses suggest an arboreal lifestyle for the new species, but not for other closely related species from the same locality, implying a possible case of ecological niche partitioning. The discovery adds to the known array of pterosaur adaptations and the history of arborealism in vertebrates. It also adds to the impressive early bloom of arboreal communities in the Jurassic of China, shedding light on the history of forest environments.


Read the article »

Article DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.030

Project DOI: 10.7934/P3951, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P3951
This project containsMatrices
  • 1 Media
  • 3 Matrices
  • 42 Taxa
  • 1 Specimen
  • 107 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 36.24M

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 2900
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 109
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 259
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:109/0
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MorphoBank Project 3951

    Authors' Institutions

    • Dalian Natural History Museum, Dalian

    • Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, Hangzhou

    • Fur Museum, Fur Island

    • Aarhus University

    • Copenhagen University

    • Hokkaido University

    • University of Birmingham

    • Universidade Federal do ABC

    • China University of Geosciences

    • Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences

    • China Geological Survey

    • Beipiao Pterosaur Museum of China

    • Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology

    • Hainan Tropical Ocean University



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
    media
    labels
    cell scorings
    (scored, NPA, "-")
    cell
    medialabels
    rules
    Rodrigo Pêgas
    Project Administrator
    4211109002900
    (2843, 0, 57)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M27280' (41 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
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    no cell
    support
    NPA
    cells
    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
    access
    [1] Macrocnemus bassanii
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    33737301001
    [2] Postosuchus kirkpatricki
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    23838301001
    [3] Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    25818101001
    [4] Preondactylus buffarinii
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    25818101001
    [5] Austriadactylus cristatus
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    36717100001
    [6] Austriadraco dallavecchiai
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    68403900001
    [7] Arcticodactylus cromptonellus
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    47606000001
    [8] Peteinosaurus zambellii
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    51575600001
    [9] Dimorphodon macronyx
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    12959401001
    [10] Campylognathoides spp.
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    11989501001
    [11] Eudimorphodon ranzii
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    29787701001
    [12] MCSNB 8950
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    70393700001
    [13] Carniadactylus rosenfeldi
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    20878601001
    [14] Caviramus schesaplanensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    87212000001
    [15] Raeticodactylus filisurensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    33747400001
    [16] Dorygnathus banthensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    10999601001
    [17] Sordes pilosus
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    24838201001
    [18] Scaphognathus crassirostris
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    11969501001
    [19] Rhamphorhynchus muensteri
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    9999701001
    [20] Anurognathus ammoni
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    21858501001
    [21] Batrachognathus volans
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    52555401001
    [22] Dendrorhynchoides curvidentatus
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    55515101001
    [23] Dendrorhynchoides mutoudengensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    57504901001
    [24] Jeholopterus ningchengensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    47595901001
    [25] Darwinopterus modularis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    18888801001
    [26] Darwinopterus robustodens
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    16909001001
    [27] Darwinopterus linglongtaensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    15929101001
    [28] Cuspicephalus scarfii
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    78282801001
    [29] Wukongopterus lii
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    32727203001
    [30] Wukongopterus sp. ivpp v 17959
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    42626203001
    [31] Kunpengopterus sinensis
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    13909004001
    [32] BPMC 0042
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    27767604001
    [33] K. sp. zmnh m8802/ivpp v18403
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    41626204001
    [34] Pterorhynchus wellnhoferi
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    56454506001
    [35] Changchengopterus pani
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    79282800001
    [36] Pterodactylus antiquus
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    14939102001
    [37] Pteranodon longiceps
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    28777603001
    [38] Anhanguera spp.
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    22868500001
    [39] Caelestiventus hanseni
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    58504900001
    [40] Dimorphodon weintraubi
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    90171700001
    [41] Seazzadactylus venieri
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    29727107001


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M27283' (1 Taxon)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
    support
    NPA
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    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
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    [1] Anhanguera spp.
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    10000001


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M27285' (1 Taxon)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
    support
    NPA
    cells
    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
    access
    [1] Anhanguera spp.
    Last Modified in 03/05/21
    10000001


    Project views

    type number of views Individual items viewed (where applicable)
    Total project views9956
    Project overview892
    Matrix views800Matrix landing page (559 views); Dataset 1. (98 views); Dataset 2. (75 views); Dataset 3. (68 views);
    Taxon list4198
    Bibliography402
    Media views1997Media search (1725 views); M739169 (272 views);
    Views for media list636
    Specimen list1029
    Documents list2




    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project134
    Project downloads115
    Matrix downloads19Dataset 1. (13 downloads); Dataset 2. (3 downloads); Dataset 3. (3 downloads);