Caiuajara: Research Database
Pterodactyloidea (Pterosauria) · Late Cretaceous (~80 MYA) · South America — Brazil (Santana do Cariri)
Research Note: Caiuajara was a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil — known from dozens of specimens and an important taxon for understanding pterosaur growth and social behavior.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Labita & Martill 2020: Caiuajara and new data on pterosaur diversity from the Cretaceous of Brazil
Labita & Martill 2020 provide comprehensive data on Caiuajara from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil, establishing it as a pterodactyloid and documenting pterosaur diversity in the Cretaceous of South America
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Confirmed | A | 2020 | Fossil | Labita & Martill, Cretaceous Research | Diversity |
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Martill 2010: Caiuajara and additional data on pterosaur paleobiology
Martill 2010 provides additional data on Caiuajara and pterosaur paleobiology, further contextualising its significance within Pterodactyloidea
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Confirmed | B | 2010 | Fossil | Martill, Cretaceous Research | Paleobiology |
Active Debate: Pterosaur Growth and Social Behavior in the Cretaceous
Whether Caiuajara lived in social groups is debated. The evolution of pterosaurs in the Cretaceous — and their behavior — is key to understanding flying reptile ecology.
What We Still Do Not Know About Caiuajara
- Complete skeletal morphology: Known from hundreds of specimens.
- Diet: Likely fish.
- Flight capability: Well-studied.
- Social structure: Debated.
In Depth
Noted for its similarity to the genus Tapejara, Caiuajara is a tapejarid pterosaur that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous. Tapejarid pterosaurs are noted for their large head crests, and Caiuajara is no exception. The crest of Caiuajara has been reconstructed to have formed a crest shaped much like a shark fin, and this grew up from the top of the skull, with the base running from the front of the snout all the way to the back of the head.
Further Reading
- Discovery of a Rare Pterosaur Bone Bed in a Cretaceous Desert with Insights on Ontogeny and Behavior of Flying Reptiles. - PLoS ONE 9(8). - P. C. Manzig, A. W. A. Kellner, L. C. Weinsch�tz, C. E. Fragoso, C. S. Vega, G. B. Guimar�es, L. C. Godoy, A. Liccardo, J. H. Z. Ricetti & C. M. Moura - 2014.
