Ornithocheirus platystomus, Seeley, 1870

Rodrigues, Taissa & Kellner, Alexander Wilhelm Armin, 2013, Taxonomic review of the Ornithocheirus complex (Pterosauria) from the Cretaceous of England, ZooKeys 308, pp. 1-112 : 34

' Ornithocheirus ' platystomus Seeley, 1870 Fig. 12E-H

"Ptenodactylus" platystomus Seeley: Seeley 1869: p. xvi [disclaimed]

Ornithocheirus platystomus Seeley: Seeley 1870: p. 120

Amblydectes platystomus (Seeley): Hooley 1914: p. 536

Criorhynchidae incertae sedis:Wellnhofer 1978: 60

Lonchodectes platystomus (Seeley): Unwin 2001: p. 211, table 1

Holotype.

CAMSM B54835, anterior portion of the rostrum ( Fig. 12E-H ).

Type locality.

Horningsea, Cambridgeshire, England.

Type horizon.

Cambridge Greensand (Cenomanian; fossils Albian in age).

Diagnosis.

Pterodactyloid pterosaur with the following combination of characters that distinguishes it from other members of the clade (autapomorphies are marked with an asterisk): alveoli small (about 4 to 5 mm in diameter); dorsal margin of the rostrum forms an angle of 27° with the ventral margin*.

Description.

'Ornithocheirus' platystomus is known from a partial premaxilla and maxillae. As Seeley (1870) pointed out, it is broken in its anterior tip, so that the first pair of alveoli is apparently not preserved. 'Ornithocheirus' platystomus can be excluded from Lonchodraconidae because it does not have raised alveolar rims and lacks a deep palatal ridge. The absence of these characters results in the lack of a parapet-like palate (which distinguishes Lonchodectidae sensu Unwin 2001). 'Ornithocheirus' platystomus presents a relatively tall rostrum, whose dorsal margin forms an angle with the ventral one; this angle lies between those in Ornithocheirus simus and Cimoliopterus cuvieri . The angle (about 27°) is so far unique among the species of the Ornithocheirus complex and confirms it as a valid taxon.

Figures

Figure 12. A-D ' Ornithocheirus' polyodon, holotype CAMSM B 54440 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum. A right lateral view B respective line drawing C ventral view D respective line drawing. E-H ' Ornithocheirus' platystomus, holotype CAMSM B 54835 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum E right lateral view F respective line drawing G ventral view H respective line drawing. Abbreviations: m - maxillae, pm - premaxillae, prid - palatal ridge. Arrows and numbers indicate alveoli or teeth and their respective position. Scale bar = 10 mm.