| Lacusovagus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Holotype specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Clade: | †Neoazhdarchia |
| Family: | †Chaoyangopteridae (?) |
| Genus: | †Lacusovagus Witton, 2008 |
| Species: | †L. magnificens |
| Binomial name | |
| †Lacusovagus magnificens Witton, 2008 | |
Lacusovagus (meaning "lake wanderer") is agenus ofazhdarchoidpterodactyloidpterosaur from theLower Cretaceous ofBrazil.
It isbased onSMNK PAL 4325, a partialupper jaw comprising sections of the skullin front of the eyes. This specimen was found in rocks of the Early Cretaceous-age (probablyAptian stage, about 120 to 93 million years ago) Nova Olinda Member of theCrato Formation.
The skull was long, and unusually wide. The section in front of the combinednasal-antorbital fenestra was relatively short. Also unusual was the combination of its toothless jaws and no bony head crest.Lacusovagus was described in 2008 byMark Witton. Thetype species isL. magnificens, meaning "grand lake wanderer", in reference to its large size—it is currently the largest pterosaur known from the Crato Formation with an estimated wingspan of approximately 4 metres (13 ft) and a body mass of 30 kg (66 lb).[1][2]
Lacusovagus shares many characteristics with the basal azhdarchoid familyChaoyangopteridae, and preliminary studies suggested it was a member of that clade.[1] However, in 2017, aphylogenetic analysis found it to be within the genusTupuxuara, a member of theThalassodromidae.[3]
