Pterosaur humerus from the Jurassic deposits of Volga Region

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Abstract

The described fragment of a pterosaur humerus (presumably from the Upper Jurassic deposits of the Volga Region) is one of the first finds of the Pterosauria in Russia. The humerus is characterized by a weak S-shaped curvature of the shaft, a distally tapering triangular deltopectoral crest, and a pneumatic foramen on the posterior side of the shaft. In terms of the shape of the deltopectoral ridge, this specimen is most similar to the humerus of the gallodactylid Cycnorhamphus suevicus (Quenstedt, 1855) from the Upper Jurassic of Western Europe. This feature, as well as the presence of a pneumatic foramen, allows us to attribute the studied form to Pterodactyloidea.

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About the authors

A. O. Averianov

Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: dzharakuduk@mail.ru
Russian Federation, St. Petersburg

A. V. Lopatin

Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dzharakuduk@mail.ru

Academician of the RAS

Russian Federation, Moscow

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2. Fig. 1. Pterodactyloidea indet., ex. PIN, No. 5244/1, right humerus: a – from the dorsal side, b – from the ventral side, c – original label; Russia, Volga region; Jurassic

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3. Fig. 2. Pterodactyloidea indet., ex. PIN, No. 5244/1, right humerus, 3D computer model: a – from the proximal end, b – from the dorsal side, c – from the front, d – from the ventral side, e – from the back, f – from the distal end; Russia, Volga region; Jurassic. Designations: dc – deltopectoral crest, mc – medial crest, pf – pneumatization opening, r – crest for musculature. The blue color indicates a furrow on the ventral side of the bone.

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4. Fig. 3. Pterodactyloidea indet., ex. PIN, No. 5244/1, right humerus: longitudinal (a) and transverse (b–e) sections according to computed tomography; Russia, Volga region; Jurassic

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5. Fig. 4. Contours of the right humerus of Pterosauria from the ventral side: a – Pterodactyloidea indet., ex. PIN, No. 5244/1 (reconstruction); b – Cycnorhamphus suevicus (Quenstedt, 1855); c – Rhamphorhynchus muensteri (Goldfuss, 1831) (b and c – according to [12]). Designations: dc – deltopectoral crest, hh – humeral head, mc – medial crest. Out of scale

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