| Boreopterus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Family: | †Boreopteridae |
| Subfamily: | †Boreopterinae |
| Genus: | †Boreopterus Lü & Ji, 2005 |
| Type species | |
| †Boreopterus cuiae Lü & Ji, 2005 | |
| Other species | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Boreopterus is agenus ofboreopteridpterodactyloidpterosaur from theBarremian-Aptian-ageLower CretaceousYixian Formation ofDalian,Liaoning,China.
Boreopterus was named in 2005 byLü Junchang andJi Qiang. Thetype species isBoreopterus cuiae. The genus name is derived from Greekboreios, "northern" andpteron, "wing". Thespecific epithet honorsCui Xu.
Boreopterus is based onholotype JZMP-04-07-3, a nearly complete but crushed skeleton and skull. The skull is 235 millimeters long (9.25 inches), low and elongated with a rounded tip. Itswingspan is estimated to have been around 1.45 meters (4.76 feet). Its teeth, especially theanterior nine pairs, are quite large, forming a mesh of sharp teeth at the front of the mouth; the third and fourth teeth from the front are the largest. There are at least 27 teeth in each side of both the upper and lower jaws, which is a large amount.[3]
Lü and Ji initially placedBoreopterus in the familyOrnithocheiridae when they described it in 2006, a classification which was supported later that year byDavid Unwin.[4] However, Lü in 2006 published acladistic analysis showingBoreopterus to be the sister taxon ofFeilongus (together forming the newfamilyBoreopteridae[5]) in a morebasal position thanHaopterus.[6]
In 2013, a more comprehensive study of pterosaur relationships supported the close relationship ofBoreopterus andFeilongus, as well as their relatively basal status among pterodactyloids. Later that year, Andres & Myers found the boreopterids as the sister group ofCycnorhamphus within thearchaeopterodactyloid groupGallodactylidae.[7] However, subsequent analysis have foundboreopterids to be indeed members of theOrnithocheiroidea, composed ofBoreopterus,Zhenyuanopterus andGuidraco, whileFeilongus is a relative ofGnathosaurus.[8] In 2018, Nicholas Longrich and colleagues found the family Boreopteridae to only containBoreopterus andZhenyuanopterus, whileGuidraco was placed in a more derived position within the cladeAnhangueria. They also found the familyLonchodectidae as the sister taxon of Boreopteridae.[9]
Topology 1: Andreset al. (2014).[8] | Topology 2: Longrichet al. (2018).[9]
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Pterosaurs likeBoreopterus are interpreted by Unwin assoaring animals, like today'salbatrosses andfrigatebirds.[10] However, it has also been suggested that boreopterids foraged while swimming, trapping small prey with their needle-like teeth,[11] a method similar to that of modernPlatanista dolphins.
It has been suggested that the closely relatedZhenyuanopterus was merely the adult form of this animal.[11]
