| Luchibang | |
|---|---|
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| Holotype snout (left, light-colored slab) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Family: | †Istiodactylidae |
| Genus: | †Luchibang Hone et al.,2020 |
| Species: | †L. xingzhe |
| Binomial name | |
| †Luchibang xingzhe Hone et al., 2020 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Luchibang (meaning "Lü's heron wing") is an extinct genus ofistiodactylidpterosaur discovered inInner Mongolia,China. The type and only species isLuchibang xingzhe. The genus was initially established on the basis of a supposed nearly complete skeleton and skull, although later analysis of the specimen revealed that it represents achimera, with theLuchibang holotype restricted to the end of the snout.
TheLuchibangholotype was acquired from fossil dealers who found it before 2000, possibly near the village of Liutiaogou, inDashuangmiao ofNingcheng, Inner-Mongolia. Around 2009, David Hone was asked byXu Xing to describe the specimen, but the article's publication was delayed for many years due to doubts expressed duringpeer review regarding its authenticity.Luchibang was announced in an abstract of the Los AngelesFlugsaurier conference in 2018,[1] but it was only validly published in 2020.[2]
In 2020, David W. E. Hone, Adam J. Fitch, Ma Feimin, and Xu Xing named anddescribed thetype speciesLuchibang xingzhe. The generic nameLuchibang is derived from the Mandarinlu, meaning "heron", andchibang, meaning "wing", and is also a reference to the late paleontologistLü Junchang. Thespecific namexingzhe means "walker", in reference to its terrestrial capabilities.[2]
In 2020, Hone et al. initially used the accidental misspelling "xinzhe" once for the specific name. However, the proper spelling "xingzhe" is used in the remainder of the publication. One figure and the supplemental data also contain the name "Luchibang wuke". Acorrigendum to the paper clarifies that the spellingxinzhe was in error, and thatwuke was the original planned name but lacks a description and is therefore anomen nudum. Hone et al. formally changed the species name fromxinzhe to the intendedxingzhe.[3]
TheLuchibang holotype specimen, ELDM 1000, is assumed to have been found in a layer of theJehol Group possibly dating to theAptian. It was originally interpreted as consisting of a nearly complete skeleton with skull, compressed on a single plate. Of the observable fossil material, only the rear of the skull, the front two neck vertebrae, the sternal ribs, the tail, a prepubis, the left wrist, and left pteroid are lacking. Pieces of skin are preserved. The skeleton is largely articulated and visible from the underside. The body represents a juvenile individual, and is part of the collection of theErlianhaote Dinosaur Museum.[2]
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The fossil had been prepared by fossil traders prior to its acquisition by the museum. Due to differences in colouration and the fact that the proportions of the postcrania, especially the long legs and large feet, resemble those ofAzhdarchoidea, it was suggested in the peer review that the piece might be achimera, the head having been added to the rest of the body to increase its value. To check this, Hone and C. Rodgers further prepared the head region but could find no trace of connecting glue. The head seemed to have been an integral part of the piece and therefore was initially concluded to be authentic. However, in 2024, Hone et al., reassessed the type specimen following damage from a flood, and found it to be chimeric. They restricted theLuchibang holotype to the rostrum portion of the specimen, as only it can still be confidently referred to the Istiodactylidae, and maintained it as still representing a valid distinct genus. The postcranial material instead likely belongs to an indeterminate member of Azhdarchomorpha, possibly thetapejaroidSinopterus.[4][5]
The chimeric body with which the holotype skull is associated has an estimated wingspan of 2 metres (6.6 ft). Hone et al. (2020) interpreted this as indicative of a considerably larger adult size, makingLuchibang a notably large istiodactylid.[2] However, this immature individual belongs to a species distinct fromLuchibang, possibly a pterosaur related toSinopterus. The skull material cannot be referred to a juvenile and likely belongs to an animal with a wingspan around 3 metres (9.8 ft).[4]
Hone et al. (2020) indicated some distinguishing traits of the purported holotype individual, including two allegedautapomorphies (unique derived characters). The sternum is large and rectangular with a straight rear edge, and the femur equals more than 80% of the ulna length. However, these are no longer relevant as the chimeric holotype is restricted to the partial skull. Regardless, the unique combination of cranial features allowsLuchibang to be regarded as a distinct genus. These include widely spaced teeth in the rear of the jaw, a dentary symphysis four times longer than wide in top view, and narrow, long branches of the lower jaw, twenty times longer than wide in top view.[2][4]
Two specimens of the fishLycoptera were found in association with theLuchibang composite skeleton; the first, resting between the holotype jaws, likely represents an animal that died around the same time, while the second was found within or underneath the ribcage of the non-Luchibang added specimen, and may represent its gut contents. However, the association of the body and skull cannot be proven, and may not be derived from necessarily coeval animals.[2][4]
