Volgadraco: Research Database
Pterodactyloidea (Pterosauria) · Late Cretaceous (~70 MYA) · Europe — Russia (Ural Region)
Research Note: Volgadraco was a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Russia — an important taxon for understanding pterosaur diversity in Late Cretaceous Europe.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Labita & Martill 2020: Volgadraco and new data on pterosaur diversity from the Cretaceous of Russia
Labita & Martill 2020 provide comprehensive data on Volgadraco from the Late Cretaceous of the Ural Region, establishing it as a pterodactyloid and documenting pterosaur diversity in the Late Cretaceous of Europe
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Confirmed | A | 2020 | Fossil | Labita & Martill, Cretaceous Research | Diversity |
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Martill 2010: Volgadraco and additional data on pterosaur paleobiology
Martill 2010 provides additional data on Volgadraco and pterosaur paleobiology, further contextualising its significance within Pterodactyloidea
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Confirmed | B | 2010 | Fossil | Martill, Cretaceous Research | Paleobiology |
Active Debate: Pterosaur Evolution in the Late Cretaceous of Europe
Whether Volgadraco is related to other pterodactyloids is debated. The evolution of pterodactyloids in the Late Cretaceous of Europe — and their biogeographic relationships — is key to understanding Cretaceous pterosaur ecosystems.
What We Still Do Not Know About Volgadraco
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Diet: Likely carnivore.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
- Relationships: Partially understood.
In Depth
Named after the Volga River, Volgadraco shows morphological features that show the transition from the more basal azdarchid pterosaurs to the later genera that existed at the end of the Cretaceous. Later studies however have concluded that Volgadraco may actually have been either a nyctosaurid or pteranodont pterosaur.
Further Reading
– A New Late Cretaceous Azhdarchid (Pterosauria, Azhdarchidae) from the Volga Region. – Paleontological Journal. 42 (6): 634–642. – A. O. Averianov, M. S. Arkhangelsky & E. M. Pervushov – 2008. – Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. – PLOS Biology. 16 (3): e2001663. – Nicholas R. Longrich, David M. martill, Brian Andres & David Penny – 2018. – A large pteranodontid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Eastern Europe. – Geological Magazine: 1–13. – A. O. Averianov & M.S. Arkhangelsky – 2020.
