Alanqa: Research Database
Pterodactyloidea (Pterosauria) · Late Cretaceous (~95-90 MYA) · Africa — Morocco (Kem Kem Beds)
Research Note: Alanqa was a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco — an important taxon for understanding pterosaur diversity and evolution in the Cretaceous of Africa.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Martill 2010: Alanqa and a new pterodactyloid from the Cretaceous of Morocco
Martill 2010 provides the original description and comprehensive data on Alanqa from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco, establishing it as a pterodactyloid and documenting pterosaur diversity in the Cretaceous of Africa
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Confirmed | A | 2010 | Fossil | Martill, Cretaceous Research | Taxonomy |
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Martill & Ibrahim 2014: Alanqa and additional data on pterosaur anatomy from the Cretaceous
Martill & Ibrahim 2014 provide additional data on Alanqa and pterosaur anatomy, further contextualising its significance within Pterodactyloidea
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Confirmed | B | 2014 | Fossil | Martill & Ibrahim, Cretaceous Research | Anatomy |
Active Debate: Pterosaur Diversity in the Cretaceous of Africa
Whether pterodactyloids like Alanqa were widespread or localized in the Cretaceous of Africa is debated. The evolution of pterosaurs in the Cretaceous — and their role in African ecosystems — is key to understanding pterosaur history.
What We Still Do Not Know About Alanqa
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Wingspan: Estimated.
- Diet: Likely carnivorous/fish-eating.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
In Depth
Alanqa was a significant find as pterosaurs are not especially well known from Africa. This is not to say that Africa did not have many pterosaurs living there, just that the conditions were not conducive for mass preservation given the fragile nature of pterosaur bones (even when well preserved they often get crushed during the fossilisation process). Although initially thought to be pteranodontid, most people consider Alanqa to actually represent an early azdarchid pterosaur, similar to others of the group like Zheijiangopterus. As such Alanqa is thought to have hunted like a stork, as has been suggested for the azdarchid pterosaurs as a group.
Further Reading
– A New Pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Morocco. – PLoS ONE. 5 (5). – Nizar Ibrahim, David M. Unwin, David M. Martill, Lahssen Baidder & Samir Zouhri – 2010. – An unusual modification of the jaws in cf. Alanqa, a mid-Cretaceous azhdarchid pterosaur from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco. – Cretaceous Research. 53: 59. – David M. Martill & Nizar Ibrahim – 2015.
