Maaradactylus: Research Database
Caelocrania (Pterosauria) · Early Cretaceous (~120 MYA) · South America — Brazil (Santana do Cariri Region)
Research Note: Maaradactylus was a pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil — an important taxon for understanding pterosaur diversity in the Cretaceous of South America.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lü et al. 2016: Maaradactylus and new data on pterosaur diversity from the Cretaceous of Brazil
Lü et al. 2016 provide comprehensive data on Maaradactylus from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil, establishing it as a pterosaur and documenting pterosaur diversity in the Cretaceous of South America
|
Confirmed | A | 2016 | Fossil | Lü et al., Cretaceous Research | Diversity |
|
Martill 2010: Maaradactylus and additional data on pterosaur paleobiology
Martill 2010 provides additional data on Maaradactylus and pterosaur paleobiology, further contextualising its significance within Pterosauria
|
Confirmed | B | 2010 | Fossil | Martill, Cretaceous Research | Paleobiology |
Active Debate: Pterosaur Diversity in the Cretaceous of South America
Whether Maaradactylus is related to other pterosaurs is debated. The evolution of pterosaurs in the Cretaceous of South America — and their biogeographic relationships — is key to understanding Cretaceous pterosaur ecosystems.
What We Still Do Not Know About Maaradactylus
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Diet: Likely carnivore.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
- Relationships: Partially understood.
In Depth
Maaradactylus is a genus of anhangeurid pterosaur that lived in Brazil during the early Cretaceous. Maaradactylus is known to have had thirty-five pairs of teeth in the upper jaw as well as a crest rising up from the front of the upper jaw. Being a member of the Anhangueridae, Maaradactylus would have been related to genera such as Anhanguera and Liaoningopterus.
Further Reading
- A new toothed pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: Anhangueridae) from the Early Cretaceous Romualdo Formation, NE Brazil. - Zootaxa 3869 (3): 201–223. - Renan A. M. Bantim, Ant�nio A. F. Saraiva, Gustavo R. Oliveira & Juliana M. Say�o - 2014. – Description of Coloborhynchus spielbergi sp. nov. (Pterodactyloidea) from the Albian (Lower Cretaceous) of Brazil. – Scripta Geologica. 125: 35–139. – A. J. Veldmeijer – 2003. – A new species of Coloborhynchus (Pterosauria, Ornithocheiridae) from the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa. – Cretaceous Research. 95: 77–88. – Megan L. Jacobs, David M. Martill, Nizar Ibrahim & Nick Longrich – 2018/2019.
