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. 2014 Aug 13;9(8):e100005.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100005. eCollection 2014.

Discovery of a rare pterosaur bone bed in a cretaceous desert with insights on ontogeny and behavior of flying reptiles

Paulo C Manzig  1 , Alexander W A Kellner  2 , Luiz C Weinschütz  3 , Carlos E Fragoso  4 , Cristina S Vega  5 , Gilson B Guimarães  6 , Luiz C Godoy  6 , Antonio Liccardo  6 , João H Z Ricetti  3 , Camila C de Moura  3
Affiliations

Discovery of a rare pterosaur bone bed in a cretaceous desert with insights on ontogeny and behavior of flying reptiles

Paulo C Manzig et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

A pterosaur bone bed with at least 47 individuals (wing spans: 0.65-2.35 m) of a new species is reported from southern Brazil from an interdunal lake deposit of a Cretaceous desert, shedding new light on several biological aspects of those flying reptiles. The material represents a new pterosaur, Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov., that is the southermost occurrence of the edentulous clade Tapejaridae (Tapejarinae, Pterodactyloidea) recovered so far. Caiuajara dobruskii differs from all other members of this clade in several cranial features, including the presence of a ventral sagittal bony expansion projected inside the nasoantorbital fenestra, which is formed by the premaxillae; and features of the lower jaw, like a marked rounded depression in the occlusal concavity of the dentary. Ontogenetic variation of Caiuajara dobruskii is mainly reflected in the size and inclination of the premaxillary crest, changing from small and inclined (∼ 115°) in juveniles to large and steep (∼ 90°) in adults. No particular ontogenetic features are observed in postcranial elements. The available information suggests that this species was gregarious, living in colonies, and most likely precocial, being able to fly at a very young age, which might have been a general trend for at least derived pterosaurs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Localization and stratigraphic framework of the new pterosaur locality.
(A) Map of South America and the geographic position of Cruzeiro do Oeste. (B) Stratigraphic chart showing the relation between the distinct stratigraphic units of the Bauru Basin . (C) Detailed stratigraphic section of the quarried beds of the Goio-Erê Formation, showing the location where the fossils were recovered.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Holotype (CP.V 1449 left) and one paratype (CP.V 2003, right) of Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov. separated by a red line, showing skull and postcranial elements.
Scale bar equals 100: cor, coracoid; cv, cervical vertebra; d, dentary; dca, distal carpal series; dcr, dentary crest; f, frontal; hu, humerus; hy, hyoid bone; l, left; man, mandible; mcfo, meckelian fossa; mcI-III, metacarpal I–III; mcIV, metacarpal IV; oc, occipital condyle; p, parietal; pmcr, premaxillary crest; ph1d4, first phalanx of manual digit IV; ph2d4, second phalanx of manual digit IV; ph4d4, forth phalanx of manual digit IV; pof, postfrontal; ptd, pteroid; q, quadrate; r, right; ra, radius; ri, rib; un, ungueal.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Skull of Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov. (holotype, CP.V 1449) with the shape of an adult individual.
Scale bar equals 50: d, dentary; dcr, dentary crest; dep, depression; exp, ventral expansion of the premaxilla; f, frontal; fcr, frontal crest; fo, foraminae; m, maxilla; oc, occipital condyle; op, opisthotic; p, parietal; pm, premaxilla; pmcr, premaxillary crest; q, quadrate; soc, supraoccipital. The quadrate is inverted.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Selected cranial material of Caiuajara dobruskii showing anatomical changes during ontogeny.
Note that the cranial crest gets gradually larger in older individuals. From top left to bottom right: CP.V 1050-1 (inverted), CP.V 1050-2 (inverted), CP.V 1003, CP.V 866 (inverted), UEPG/DEGEO/MP-4151, CP.V 1023 (inverted), UEPG/DEGEO/MP-4151 (second skull), CP.V 1001, CP.V 1447, CP.V 1005 (with posterior part of lower jaw reconstructed), CP.V 1449 (holotype). Scale bar, equals 50 mm.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov., occlusal view of upper jaw (A) and mandible (B) (CP.V 1449).
Scale bar equals 10; different lower jaws, from from top to bottom: juvenile (CP.V 1450-2) (C); older juvenile (CP.V. 1450-1) (D); young/subadult (CP.V. 1001a-1) (E); and adult (CP.V 1005a) (F) specimen. Scale bar equals 50 mm. Abbreviations: dep, depression; exp, lateral expansion; fo, foraminae.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Selected post-cranial elements of Caiuajara dobruskii showing the anatomical changes during ontogeny.
A, humeri (CP.V 1450 - inverted; CP.V 1009; CP.V 1013); B, femura (CP.V 1883-1; CPV 872a-1; CP.V 1025), scapulocoracoid (CP.V 871b - inverted), coracoids (CP.V 1006-1; CP.V 866b - inverted); and sterna (CP.V 1000; CP.V 1001a-1). Scale bar equals 10 mm.
Figure 7
Figure 7. Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov., (CP.V 869), partial articulated skeleton.
Scale bar equals 50: cdv, caudal vertebrae; dca, distal carpal series; dv, dorsal vertebrae; fe, femur; hu, humerus; il, ilium; prca, proximal carpal series; ptd, pteroid; ppu, prepubis; pu, pubis; ra, radius; ri, ribs; sca, scapula; st, sternum; sv, sacral vertebrae; ul, ulna; wph, wing phalanx.
Figure 8
Figure 8. Hundreds of bones, including at least 14 partial skulls of Caiuajara dobruskii (CP.V. 1450).
Scale bar equals 200: cra - skulls, man - mandible.
Figure 9
Figure 9. Phylogenetic analysis showing the relationships of Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov.
Based on Vullo et al. 2012 .
Figure 10
Figure 10. Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov., reconstruction of shapes from juveniles (bright color) to adults (darker color).
Outlines not to scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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