Name:
Carniadactylus
(Carnia finger).
Phonetic: Car-nee-ah-dak-tyl-us.
Named By: Fabio Marco Dalla Vecchia - 2009.
Synonyms:Eudimorphodon rosenfeldi.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Pterosauria,
Campylognathoididae.
Species: C. rosenfeldi (type).
Diet: Carnivore/Insectivore.
Size: 70 centimetre wingspan.
Known locations: Italy.
Time period: Norian of the Triasssic.
Fossil representation: 2 individuals of partial
remains.
Carniadactylus
was born out of the realisation that a pterosaur
specimen that was
attributed to Eudimorphodon
actually represented a different genus.
Aside from being smaller than Eudimorphodon, one of
the main areas of
difference is the proportionately longer legs of Carniadactylus.
Since
it has now been placed within the campylognathoididae, Carniadactylus
is considered to be similar to caviramus.
Carniadactylus
has multicusped teeth like in Eudimorphodon though
not as worn. Because
the teeth of Carniadactylus show very little wear
it is thought that it
may have fed upon soft bodied invertebrates that would have provided
ample sustenance to keep its smaller body going.
Further reading
- Anatomy and systematics of the pterosaur Carniadactylus gen. n.
rosenfeldi (Dalla Vecchia, 1995). - Revista Italiana di Paleontologia e
Stratigrafia 115:159-188. - F. M. Dalla Vecchia - 2009.