Ornithocheirus denticulatus, 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 : 37

' Ornithocheirus ' denticulatus Seeley, 1870 Fig. 13E-H

Ornithocheirus denticulatus Seeley: Seeley 1870: p. 122, pl. XII, fig. 8-9

Ornithocheirus denticulatus Seeley:Hooley 1914: p. 535

Anhanguera cuvieri (Bowerbank): Unwin 2001: table 1

Holotype.

Anterior portion of the rostrum (?CAMSM B 54794) ( Fig. 13E-H )

Type locality.

Cambridge, 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: anterior expansion absent; palate dorsally curved; moderate palatal ridge; palatal ridge extending anteriorly up to the third pair of alveoli; spacing between alveoli approximately equal to their diameters; approximately 4.5 alveoli per 3 cm of jaw margin.

Description.

In the original description, Seeley (1870) contrasted this species with 'Ornithocheirus' polyodon (see below). 'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus shares with the latter the absence of an anterior expansion, the dorsally curved palate, and moderate size of the palatal ridge. However, in 'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus the palatal ridge extends up to the third pair of alveoli, the spacing between the alveoli is larger, and the alveolar density is lower (4.5 alveoli per 3 cm). Because the dorsal margin of the premaxillae is broken, it cannot be access if 'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus had a crest.

'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus does not share the combination of characters present in Ornithocheirus , Lonchodraco , Cimoliopterus and Camposipterus and thus cannot be referred to any of these genera. In particular, 'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus lacks the alveolar pattern present in Cimoliopterus cuvieri . 'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus somewhat resembles 'Pterodactylus' daviesii in that both lack an anterior expansion of the jaw, sagittal crests, and have alveoli without significant variation in size and equally spaced. They differ in the alveolar density, which is slightly higher in 'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus . Unfortunately, the known material of both species is not directly comparable and their taxonomic identity cannot be confirmed.

Remarks.

Collection data provided by the curators at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences in Cambridge list the specimen CAMSM B 54794 as the holotype of 'Ornithocheirus' denticulatus . However, the specimen could not be found during review of the collection in October 2009. The specimen was, however, one of the few figured by Seeley (1870: pl. XII, figs 8 and 9).

In the lack of more complete material, we here refrain from naming a new genus based on the present specimen, and refer to it using the binomen in which it was originally proposed.

Figures

Figure 13. A-D ' Pterodactylus' daviesii, holotype NHMUK PV 43074 (Albian, Gault Clay Formation), anterior part of the mandibular symphysis. A right lateral view B respective line drawing C dorsal view D respective line drawing. E-H ' Ornithocheirus' denticulatus, holotype? CAMSM B 54794 (Albian, Cambridge Greensand), anterior part of the rostrum E ventral view F respective line drawing G right lateral view H respective line drawing. Abbreviations: m - maxillae, pm - premaxillae, prid - palatal ridge, sul - sulcus. Arrows and numbers indicate alveoli or teeth and their respective position. Scale bar = 10 mm. E and G from Seeley 1870. Photos A and C courtesy of The Natural History Museum.