Bennett—Smallest Pteranodon
265
mature adult specimen with a wingspan of 1.8m (Wellnhofer, 1975; Bennett, 1995). Bennett (1996) noted year-classes in samples of the
pterodactyloids monographed by Wellnhofer (1970). The sample of Pterodactylus antiquus consists of 28 specimens based on Wellnhofer’s data, Bennett’s (1996) study, and Jouve’s (2004, see also Bennett, 2013a) synonymization of P. kochi (Wagner, 1837) with P. antiquus after the addition of the Vienna specimen (NHMW 1975/1756/0000, Wellnhofer, 1987) and the exclusion of JME-SOS 4593 that Bennett (2006) referred to Germanodactylus cristatus (Wiman, 1925). Note that Vidovic and Martill (2014) erected the genus Aerodactylus for the species Pterodactylus scolopaciceps (Meyer, 1860), which Wellnhofer (1970) considered a junior synonym of P. kochi. They referred several Pterodactylus specimens to Aerodactylus, which they considered to differ from Pterodactylus in posses- sing a unique combination of features, but did not cite any features that did not fall within the range of variation of the hypodigm of P. antiquus. Five scatter plots of length measures were presented to support their interpretation, but: (1) all reflect only minor differences in skull depth, (2) slopes of regression lines of their Morphotype 1 (= Aerodactylus) in two plots (Vidovic and Martill, 2014, figs. 9, 10) differed markedly from those of other Solnhofen pterodactyloids such that the morphotype probably is an unnatural assemblage, and (3) no evidence was presented to suggest that the differences do not merely reflect preservational (e.g., orientation, compression) or individual variation. In the end, despite arguing that the specimens differed, they did not present evidence or arguments that the differences are taxonomically significant, and therefore Aerodactylus scolopaciceps is considered a junior synonym of Pterodactylus antiquus. The sample of P. antiquus consists of two distinct year-
classes plus a few larger individuals that might represent more year-classes (Fig. 7.2). The first year-class consists of six hatchlings and young-of-the-year with wingspans of 17–23 cm, the second year-class consists of 20 yearlings with wingspans of 33–54 cm, and there are two larger more mature specimens with wingspans of 64 and 71 cm, respectively. Note that the largest known specimen of P. antiquus is a large isolated skull of an adult with a wingspan of 1.06m (Bennett, 2013a) from the Hienheim Beds that are stratigraphically equivalent to the Mörnsheimer Limestone. The sample of Ctenochasma elegans (Wagner, 1861)
consists of 19 specimens based on the 15 listed in Bennett’s (2007a) revision plus the four specimens that Wellnhofer (1970) had referred to Pterodactylus micronyx Meyer, 1856 (his Ex. 29 at Neuberg, Ex. 33 at Brno, Ex. 34 [TM 13104], and Ex. 37 [SM 405/NHMW2012/0118/0001]), which Bennett (2013a) referred to Ctenochasma on the basis of skeletal proportions. The sample consists of two distinct year-classes plus a few larger individuals that might represent more year-classes (Fig. 7.3). All specimens of >125mm skull length and >83 cm wingspan consist of isolated skulls. The first year-class consists of 12 hatchlings and young-of-the-year with wingspans of 23–36 cm, the second year-class consists of four yearlings with wingspans of 75–97 cm, there are two larger more mature specimens with wingspans of ~1.3 m, and one large fully mature adult specimen with a wingspan of 1.9 m.
Table 2. Ontogenetic composition of samples of selected taxa from selected Konservat-Lagerstätten and corresponding interpretations of the Lagerstätte’s habitat in stratigraphic order. Data include N, number of individuals in taxon sample, and percentages (rounded to the nearest non-zero integer) of: E, eggs; H, hatchlings; SJ, small juveniles; LJ, large juveniles; SA, subadults; and A, adults. See text for discussion.
Lagerstätte
Smoky Hill Chalk Mbr., Niobrara Formation Bissekty Formation
Lagarcito Formation Romualdo Member, Santana Formation Solnhofen Limestone Taxon
Anhanguera s.l. (including Brasileodactylus, Maaradactylus, and Tropeognathus) Rhamphorhynchus muensteri Pterodactylus antiquus Aurorazhdarcho micronyx Germanodactylus cristatus Ctenochasma elegans
Azhdarcho lancicollis1 Pterodaustro guinazi 2 Anhanguera s.s.
Pteranodon Nyctosaurus
N E H SJ LJ SA A Habitat >28
710 ——— 1 15 85 Pelagic adult feeding 30 ———— 37 63 13 — 8 38 31 15 7 — 43
31 ——— 16 13 71 Pelagic large juvenile through adult feeding 109 — 30 67
21 ———— 19 81 Pelagic adult feeding 7 28 — 21 71
4 — 50 —— 25 25 Lagoonal hatchling feeding near nesting grounds 19 — 63 21 11 — 5 Lagoonal multi-age feeding
10 — 90 — 10 —— 1Data based on proximal humeral fragments, from A. Averianov (personal communication, 2015). 2Data from L. Codorniú (personal communication, 2015).
2 — 1 Lagoonal hatchling and juvenile feeding 7 ——
8 Riverine multi-age feeding 7 36 Lacustrine multi-age feeding near nesting grounds
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