Caelestiventus

Kay-el-es-te-ven-tus.
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Maeve Foster

Paleoclimatologist

Maeve Foster explores the Earth's climatic past to understand the forces that shaped life on our planet. Her research into ancient climate events provides valuable context for current environmental challenges.

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Name

Caelestiventus ‭(‬heavenly wind‭)‬.

Phonetic

Kay-el-es-te-ven-tus.

Named By

B.‭ ‬B.‭ ‬Britt,‭ ‬F.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Dalla Vecchia,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Chure,‭ ‬G.‭ ‬F.‭ ‬Engelmann,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬F.‭ ‬Whiting‭ & ‬R.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Scheetz‭ ‬-‭ ‬2018.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Pterosauria,‭ ‬Dimorphodontia.

Diet

Uncertain,‭ ‬but predatory.

Species

C.‭ ‬hanseni‭

Size

Skull about‭ ‬17.8‭ ‬centimetres long.‭ ‬Wingspan at least‭ ‬150‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Utah.

Time Period

Norian/Rhaetian of the Triassic.

Fossil representation

Partial skull,‭ ‬mandible‭ (‬lower jaw‭) ‬and wing tip.

In Depth

       A very fascinating discovery,‭ ‬Caelestiventus has helped add to our knowledge of Triassic age pterosaurs greatly.‭ ‬Most‭ ‬Triassic age pterosaurs are known from relatively incomplete remains so one with has skull and jaw material like Caelestiventus is rare indeed.‭ ‬The Caelestiventus holotype fossil is also among the first discovered in North America,‭ ‬most others at the time of the genus description are known from Europe with the exception of Arcticodactylus which was found in Greenland.

       Caelestiventus is also one of the largest known Triassic pterosaurs,‭ ‬and one that lived in what would have been a desert environment.‭ ‬This pushes back the known temporal envelope for‭ ‬some‭ ‬pterosaurs living in desert environments back a further‭ ‬65‭ ‬million years than previously known.‭ ‬This also helps prove that pterosaurs were diversifying to adapt to different ecosystems as far back at least the late Triassic,‭ ‬maybe earlier.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Caelestiventus hanseni gen.‭ ‬et sp.‭ ‬nov.‭ ‬extends the desert-dwelling pterosaur record back‭ ‬65‭ ‬million years.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Nature Ecology‭ & ‬Evolution.‭ ‬2‭ (‬9‭)‬:‭ ‬1386‭–‬1392.‭ ‬-‭ ‬B.‭ ‬B.‭ ‬Britt,‭ ‬F.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Dalla Vecchia,‭ ‬D.‭ ‬J.‭ ‬Chure,‭ ‬G.‭ ‬F.‭ ‬Engelmann,‭ ‬M.‭ ‬F.‭ ‬Whiting‭ & ‬R.‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Scheetz‭ ‬-‭ ‬2018.

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