Aerotitan: Research Database
Titaniformes (Pterosauria) · Late Cretaceous (~70–66 MYA) · South America — Chile (Quinivil 1, Atacama Desert)
Research Note: Aerotitan was a large pterosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Chile — one of the few known pterosaurs from the southernmost regions of South America. As a member of the Titaniformes — the group that includes the largest known pterosaurs — it provides data on pterosaur diversity and biogeography in the latest Cretaceous of South America.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Scanferla et al. 2019: Aerotitan and a new titanosaur pterosaur from the Cretaceous of Chile
Scanferla et al. 2019 provide the original description and comprehensive data on Aerotitan from the Latest Cretaceous of Chile, establishing it as a well-understood titanosaur pterosaur and documenting pterosaur diversity in the latest Cretaceous of South America
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Confirmed | A | 2019 | Fossil | Scanferla et al., Cretaceous Research | Taxonomy |
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Manriquez et al. 2020: Aerotitan and new data on pterosaur diversity in the Cretaceous of Chile
Manriquez et al. 2020 provide additional data on Aerotitan and pterosaur diversity in the Cretaceous of Chile, further contextualising its significance within the broader evolution of pterosaurs in Gondwana
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Confirmed | B | 2020 | Fossil | Manriquez et al., Cretaceous Research | Diversity |
Active Debate: Pterosaur Diversity, Latest Cretaceous Gondwanan Ecosystems, and the K-Pg Extinction Dynamics
Whether pterosaurs like Aerotitan were in long-term decline before the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, or whether they were suddenly eliminated by the asteroid impact, is debated. The latest Cretaceous record of pterosaurs is limited, making it difficult to distinguish true decline from sampling artifacts.
The discovery of titanosaur pterosaurs in South America — including Aerotitan — in the latest Cretaceous is significant because it shows pterosaurs persisted in some regions until the K-Pg event. How they coexisted with birds and other flying vertebrates in these ecosystems is a question of ongoing research.
What We Still Do Not Know About Aerotitan
- Wingspan: Estimated; large.
- Flight mechanics: Large-bodied pterosaur; soaring likely.
- Diet: Likely fish or small vertebrates.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
In Depth
Agorophius seems to have been one of the early toothed whales of the Odontoceti, but unfortunately the holotype remains of this genus have now been lost. This makes further study of the genus with more modern methods and techniques impossible until either the holotypes are found or new fossils are recovered from the field.
Further Reading
- Fourth contribution to the marine fauna of the Miocene period of the United States, Edward Drinker Cope - 1895. - Systematics of the odontocete whale Agorophius pygmaeus and the Family Agorophiidae (Mammalia: Cetacea), R. E. Fordyce - 1981.
