Name:
Yixianopterus
(Yixian wing).
Phonetic: Yix-ee-an-op-teh-rus.
Named By: L� et al - 2006.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Pterosauria,
Pterodactyloidea, Ornithocheiridae.
Species: Y. jingangshanensis (type).
Type: Carnivore/Piscivore.
Size: Estimated 20 centimetre skull length.
Known locations: China, Liaoning Province - Yixian
Formation.
Time period: Aptian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Partial skeleton and jaws.
Yixianopterus had numerous small concical teeth in its jaws that would have allowed it to pluck fish from the water. The pterosaur Avgodectes is considered by some to be a potential synonym of Yixianopterus, although at the time of writing this is still under debate.
Further reading
- New pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian
Formation of Western Liaoning. Papers from the 2005 Heyuan
International Dinosaur Symposium. - Geological Publishing House,
Beijing 195-203. - J. L�, S. Ji, C. Yuan, Y. Gao, Z. Sun & Q.
Ji - 2006.