Sinopterus

Sih-nop-teh-rus.
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Nisha Yadav

Physicist

Nisha Yadav is a dedicated physicist whose work bridges the gap between physics and paleontology. With a deep interest in the processes that preserve ancient life, she explores how physical principles govern fossilization and the preservation of extinct species.

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Name

Sinopterus ‭(‬Chinese wing‭)‬.

Phonetic

Sih-nop-teh-rus.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Pterosauria,‭ ‬Pterodactyloidea,‭ ‬Azhdarchoidea,‭ ‬Tapejaridae,‭ ‬Tapejarinae.

Diet

Frugivore/Omnivore.

Species

S.‭ ‬dongi

Size

1.2‭ ‬meter wingspan.

Known locations

China,‭ ‬Liaoning Province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Jiufotang Formation.

Time Period

Aptian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Remains of‭ ‬3‭ ‬individuals,‭ ‬composed of almost complete remains.

In Depth

       Aside from being the first tapejarid pterosaur discovered outside of Brazil,‭ ‬Sinopterus also represents one of the earliest and‭ ‬most complete.‭ ‬Sinopterus had a toothless bony beak and bony crest that runs from the premaxilla to the middle of the skull.‭ ‬The crest is then thought to extend upwards.‭ ‬Sinopterus is thought to have been an omnivore,‭ ‬with fruit perhaps forming an important part of its diet.

       Another species,‭ ‬Sinopterus gui,‭ ‬is now thought to represent a younger individual of S.‭ ‬dongi.‭ ‬Some also consider that the smallest currently known pterosaur Nemicolopterus which also comes from the same Jiufotang Formation,‭ ‬may also represent a juvenile Sinopterus.‭ ‬As always,‭ ‬more fossils and study will be required for both of these pterosaurs.

Further Reading

– A new pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae) from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China and its implications for biostratigraphy. – Chinese Science Bulletin 48:16-23. – X. Wang & Z. Zhou – 2003. – A new Lower Cretaceous sinopterid pterosaur from the Western Liaoning, China. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica 42(3):442-447. – J. Li, J. L� & B. Zhang – 2003. – New information on Tupandactylus imperator, with comments on the relationships of Tapejaridae (Pterosauria). – Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. – F. L. Pinheiro, D. C. Fortier, C. L. Schultz, J. A. F. G. De Andrade & R. A. M. Bantim – 2011. – The Toothless Pterosaurs from China. – Acta Geologica Sinica. 90 (9). – Junchang L�, Fangfang Teng, Deyu Sun, Li, Caizhi, Guoqing Li, Xia Guo & Hanfeng Liu – 2016.

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