| Aerodraco | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Holotype snout in multiple views | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Clade: | †Ornithocheirae |
| Clade: | †Anhangueria |
| Family: | †Anhangueridae |
| Genus: | †Aerodraco Holgado & Pêgas, 2020 |
| Type species | |
| †Pterodactylus sedgwickii Owen, 1859 | |
| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Aerodraco (meaning "air dragon") is a genus ofanhangueridpterosaur from theAlbian–Cenomanian-ageCambridge Greensand ofEngland. It contains only one species,Aerodraco sedgwickii. It was originally assigned to the genusPterodactylus.[1]
In 1859, SirRichard Owen named pterosaur material from theCambridge Greensand of England asPterodactylus sedgwickii.[2] At the time,Pterodactylus was awastebasket taxon; all sorts of unrelated pterosaurs were assigned to that genus. In 1870,Harry Seeley reassigned it toOrnithocheirus, another wastebasket taxon. Its specific name honorsAdam Sedgwick.[3] It was in 1869 renamed by Seeley into aPtenodactylus sedgwickii,[4] and in 1870 into aOrnithocheirus sedgwickii (by then it has been placed within the now obsoleteOrnithosauria).[5] In 1874, Owen again renamed it intoColoborhynchus sedgwickii.[6] Owen in 1859 also referred a front of the lower jaws, specimen CAMSM B54421. However, this piece is not of the same individual as the holotype and there is no proof for any connection withPterodactylus sedgwickii.[7]
It was then largely ignored in modern literature until 2013, when Rodrigues and Kellner assigned it to their new genusCamposipterus. However, even they were unsure of this placement, calling itCamposipterus(?) sedgwickii.[7] Finally, in 2020, Holgado and Pêgas assigned it to its own genus,Aerodraco; the genus name means "air dragon", in reference to the 1901 bookDragons of the Air byHarry Seeley.
Rodrigues & Kellner established two autapomorphies ofCamposipterus(?) sedgwickii. The expanded section of the front snout is suddenly constricted behind the third tooth pair. The tooth sockets of the third tooth pair are much larger than those of the fourth pair. There is a unique combination of traits: the snout is deep; the midline ridge on the palate towards the front reaches a position behind the third tooth pair, which distinguishesAerodraco fromCamposipterus.[1]
In 2020, Holgado & Pêgas placedAerodraco in the subfamilyColoborhynchinae, which they placed in the familyAnhangueridae. They found it completely unrelated toPterodactylus, the genusAerodraco was originally placed within during 1859. The cladogram below shows theirphylogenetic analysis.[1]
