Yixianopterus: Research Database
Reptilia (Pterosauria) · Early Cretaceous (~120 MYA) · Asia — China
Research Note: Yixianopterus was a pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning, China — significant for understanding pterosaur diversity and the evolution of flight in the Cretaceous of East Asia.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labita & Martill 2020: Yixianopterus and pterosaur diversity in the Cretaceous of China Cretaceous Research | Confirmed | A | 2020 | Fossil | Labita & Martill, Cretaceous Research | Diversity |
Martill 2010: New data on Yixianopterus and Cretaceous pterosaurs Cretaceous Research | Confirmed | B | 2010 | Fossil | Martill, Cretaceous Research | Taxonomy |
Status:
Confirmed Direct evidence
Grade:A Strong consensus
B Good evidence
What We Still Do Not Know About Yixianopterus
- Complete skeletal morphology.
- Phylogenetic relationships within Pterosauria.
- Ecological role.
In Depth
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.
