| Otogopterus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Family: | †Ctenochasmatidae |
| Genus: | †Otogopterus Ji & Zhang, 2020 |
| Type species | |
| †Otogopterus haoae Ji & Zhang, 2020 | |
Otogopterus (meaning "Otog Banner wing") is agenus ofpterosaur in thefamilyCtenochasmatidae, known fromEarly Cretaceous rocks in theOrdos region ofInner Mongolia,China (Luohandong Formation). It contains one species,O. haoae, named in 2020 by Ji Shu'an and Zhang Lifu.O. haoae is known from a partial lower jaw (themandibular symphysis), which is long and straight, and bears a ridge on each side that divides the outer surface of the jaw. AfterOrdosipterus,Otogopterus is the second pterosaur known from the Ordos region.
TheOrdos Basin ofInner Mongolia,China is considered an important record of theEarly Cretaceous fauna of the country. During the 1980s, theSino-Canadian Dinosaur Project carried out expeditions into the region and published numerous studies ondinosaurs andturtles found by the project. In addition to these remains, a 1993 study referenced the existence of pterosaurs fossils from the region. Dedicated research on these pterosaurs, however, failed to materialize, leaving an absence of definitive evidence of their presence. Years later, Ji Shu-an would discover new pterosaur fossils in the region. The first of these was a jawbone that was named by Ji in 2020 asOrdosipterus in 2020.[1][2] The second was discovered near Zhaoshao Village, Mukainaoer Town; though little of the geologicstrata was exposed and a lack of geologic landmarks was noted at the locality, the site is thought to belong to the middle section of theLuohandong Formation of theZhidan Group.[1]
Later in November of 2020, the second jaw was named by Ji and Zhang Lifu as the new genus and speciesOtogopterus haoae. The generic nameOtogopterus refers to the Otog Banner locality, where it was discovered, while the specific namehaoae honours palaeontologistHao Yichun, who contributed greatly to research of the stratigraphy of the region. Thename bearing and only known specimen is a 9.8 centimetres (3.9 in) longdentary bone. It was identified as a member of the familyCtenochasmatidae.[1]
Ctenochasmatid pterosaurs such asOtogopterus are known for their long snouts and elongate teeth arranged in a wide variety of different ways across various taxa.Otogopterus in particular possesses a very thin, elongate snout that is extraordinarily straight along the preserved portion. A unique combination of features distinguishes the taxon from other ctenochasmids. One of the most overt features are the ridges along itsdentary. The sides of the bone each possess a prominent ridge that separates the edges into an upper and lower portion. The lower portions come together into an additional large ridge along the central bottom edge of the bone. The upper portion possessed at least 23 pairs of tooth sockets. Each socket was circular, with the distance between them equal to half a socket in width and three sockets per 1 centimetre (0.39 in) along the jaw in a straight line. Unlike in some other ctenochasmids such asGnathosaurus, the tooth sockets do not appear to change in size along the length of the jaw. Though the teeth themselves are unknown, the placement and inner orientation of the sockets indicate they would have pointed forward and outward.[1]
The environment in which the only known specimen ofOtogopterus was preserved is thought to have characterized bybraided rivers.[1]
