Faxinalipterus

Name: Faxinalipterus (Faxinal wing).
Phonetic: Fax-in-al-ip-teh-rus.
Named By: José Fernando Bonaparte, Marina Bento Soares & César Leandro Schultz - 2010.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Pterosauria?
Species: F. minima (type).
Type: Insectivore.
Size: Uncertain, but notably small.
Known locations: Brazil - Caturrita Formation.
Time period: Carnian to Norian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: Single specimen.

       Faxinalipterus is a contender for the oldest known pterosaur, although some have put forward the notion that it may be a form of reptile just before true pterosaurs. Whichever may yet prove correct, the fact that Faxinalipterusis only known from a terrestrial location is taken by some to prove that pterosaurs evolved inland as opposed to coastal locations. This would also tie in with current thinking that pterosaurs ultimate ancestors were arboreal reptiles that had evolved membranes between their legs and bodies to glide from one tree to another.

Further reading
- Pterosauria from the Late Triassic of southern Brazil. - J. F. Bonaparte, C. L. Schultz, and M. B. Soares. - In New Aspects of Mesozoic Biodiversity, Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences 132:63-71. - S. Bandyopadhyay (ed.) - 2010.

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