Pterodactylus sagittirostris Owen, 1874

Rodrigues, Taissa & Kellner, Alexander Wilhelm Armin, 2013, Taxonomic review of the Ornithocheirus complex (Pterosauria) from the Cretaceous of England, ZooKeys 308, pp. 1-112 : 49

Pterodactylus sagittirostris Owen, 1874 (nomen dubium) Fig. 20

Pterodactylus sagittirostris Owen: Owen 1874: p. 3, pl. II, fig 1-8.

Lonchodectes sagittirostris (Owen): Hooley 1914: p. 538.

Ornithocheirus sagittirostris (Owen): Arthaber 1922: p. 16.

Ornithocheirus sagittirostris (Owen): Wellnhofer 1978.

Lonchodectes sagittirostris (Owen): Unwin 2001: 209.

Lonchodectes sagittirostris (Owen): Martill, Sweetman and Witton 2011: p. 385, fig. 25.12

Holotype.

NHMUK PV R 1823, partial mandibular rami ( Fig. 20A-E ).

Type locality.

St.-Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex. England.

Type horizon.

Hastings Group, Wealden (late Berriasian / Valanginian).

Description.

The holotype of Pterodactylus sagittirostris consists of partial associated mandibular rami. The specimen is not comparable to any of the species referred in Lonchodectes by Hooley (1914) and Unwin (2001) because they are mostly based on jaw tips. Its teeth are elongated and differ from the shorter ones present in Lonchodraco giganteus , and hence Pterodactylus sagittirostris cannot be referred to Lonchodraconidae (which corresponds more or less to the Lonchodectidae sensu Unwin 2001). An apparent elevation of the alveolar margin, forming a collar around the teeth, rather seems to be an artifact of the partial preparation of the specimen; in the right ramus, which has been more extensively prepared, this collar is, in fact, smaller and resembles the one observed in other pterosaurs, such as anhanguerids. This specimen presents no diagnostic characters or character combination, and therefore Pterodactylus sagittirostris is considered a nomen dubium.

Figures

Figure 20. Pterodactylus sagittirostris, holotype NHMUK PV R 1823 (upper Berriasian / Valangianian, Hastings Group), part of the mandibular rami. A right lateral view B respective line drawing C left lateral view D respective line drawing E ventral view. Abbreviation: d - dentary. Arrows indicate alveoli or teeth. Scale bar = 10 mm. Photos courtesy of The Natural History Museum.