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. 2021 Aug 25;16(8):e0254789.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254789. eCollection 2021.

Osteology of an exceptionally well-preserved tapejarid skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the anatomy of a curious pterodactyloid clade

Victor Beccari  1   2   3 , Felipe Lima Pinheiro  4 , Ivan Nunes  5 , Luiz Eduardo Anelli  6 , Octávio Mateus  2   3 , Fabiana Rodrigues Costa  7
Affiliations

Osteology of an exceptionally well-preserved tapejarid skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the anatomy of a curious pterodactyloid clade

Victor Beccari et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

A remarkably well-preserved, almost complete and articulated new specimen (GP/2E 9266) of Tupandactylus navigans is here described for the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil. The new specimen comprises an almost complete skeleton, preserving both the skull and post-cranium, associated with remarkable preservation of soft tissues, which makes it the most complete tapejarid known thus far. CT-Scanning was performed to allow the assessment of bones still covered by sediment. The specimen can be assigned to Tupa. navigans due to its vertical supra-premaxillary bony process and short and rounded parietal crest. It also bears the largest dentary crest among tapejarine pterosaurs and a notarium, which is absent in other representatives of the clade. The new specimen is here regarded as an adult individual. This is the first time that postcranial remains of Tupa. navigans are described, being also an unprecedented record of an articulated tapejarid skeleton from the Araripe Basin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266.
Photo of specimen (A); 3D model of specimen (B). Abbreviations: atax, atlas-axis complex; cav, caudal vertebrae; cv, cervical vertebrae; d4, digit four; dc, dentary crest; dov, dorsal vertebrae; f, femur; hu, humerus; il, ilium; isc, ischium; ma, manus; mc, metacarpal; naof, nasoantorbital fenestra; not, notarium; p, pubis; pe, pes; pmc, premaxillary crest; pt, pteroid; rad, radius; sac, sacral vertebrae; sc, scapulocoracoid; spmp, supra-premaxilar bony process; st, sternum; tar, tarsals; tf, tibiofibula; ul, ulna. Scale bar = 50 mm.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 skull.
3D model in left lateral view (A); palatal view (B). Abbreviations: ec, ectopterygoid; fp, frontoparietal; j, jugal; la, lacrimal; m, maxilla; n, nasal; or, orbit; pl, palatine; pm, premaxilla; po, postorbital; pty, pterygoid; q, quadrate; spmp, supra-premaxilllary bony process; sq, squamosal. Scale bars = 50 mm.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 skull.
3D model of occipital region of the skull. Abbreviations: bo, basioccipital; bsp, basisphenoid; fm, foramen magnum; eo, exoccipital; j, jugal; p, parietal crest; pcf, postcranial fenestra; ptf, posttemporal fenestra; q, quadrate; so, supraoccipital; sq, squamosal. Scale bar = 50 mm.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 mandible.
3D model in left lateral view (A); dorsal view (B); photograph in left lateral view (C). Abbreviations: d, dentary; dc, dentary crest; glfo, glenoid fossa; hy, hyoids; mc, medial cotyle; rapr, retroarticular process; rmp, rhamphotheca; san, surangular; sym, symphysis. Scale bars = 50 mm.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 non-ossified tissue.
Photograph soft-tissue elements. Abbreviations: apex, apical-most point; lrmp, lower jaw rhamphotheca; sgc, sagittal crest; spmp, supra-premaxillary bony process; trab, trabecular bone; urmp, upper jaw rhamphotheca. Scale bar = 50 mm.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 cervical vertebrae.
Abbreviations: atax, atlas-axis complex; cv, cervical vertebrae. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 cervical vertebrae.
3D model of atlas/axis complex (A); cervical vertebra 03 (B); cervical vertebra 04 (C); cervical vertebrae series (D); cervical vertebra 05 (E); cervical vertebra 06 (F); cervical vertebra 07 (G). From upper left to bottom right: left lateral view, anterior view, posterior view, dorsal view and ventral view. Abbreviations: ana, atlantal neural arch; atax, atlas-axis complex; ct, cotyle; cv, cervical vertebrae; ep, epipophysis; fo, pneumatic foramina; nc, neural canal; ns, neural spine; prz, prezygapophysis; pe, postexapophysis; psz, postzygapophysis. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Fig 8
Fig 8. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 dorsal vertebrae and ribs.
3D model of notarium in dorsal view (A); dorsal vertebra 06 in anterior view (B); notarium in anterior view (C); dorsal vertebrae series in left lateral view (D); photograph of notarium (E). Abbreviations: ct, cotyle; not, notarium; ns, neural spine; prz; prezygapophysis; rb, ribs; tpr, transverse process. Scale bar = 20 mm.
Fig 9
Fig 9. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 sacrum and caudal vertebrae.
3D model of sacrum in left lateral view (A); anterior view (B); dorsal view (C); posterior caudal vertebrae in left lateral view (D); photograph of sacrum (E). Abbreviations: ace, acetabulum; angp, angular process; anilp, anterior ilium process; il, ilium; isc, ischium; p, pubis; sac, sacral vertebrae; vilf, ventral ilium fossa; viscf, ventral ischium fossa. Scale bar = 10 mm.
Fig 10
Fig 10. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 sternum.
3D model of sternum in ventral view (A); dorsal view (B); anterior view (C). Abbreviations: cs, cristospine; pf, pneumatic foramina. Scale bar = 20 mm.
Fig 11
Fig 11. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 left scapulocoracoid.
3D model of left scapulocoracoid in posterior view (A); anterior view (B). Abbreviations: cor, coracoid; crpr; coracoid process; glfo, glenoid fossa; sca, scapula; scpr, scapula process; sglpr, supraglenoid process; tu, coracoid tuberculum. Scale bar = 20 mm.
Fig 12
Fig 12. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 right humerus.
3D model of right humerus in dorsal view (A); ventral view (B); posterior view (C); medial view (D). All views are in flight position. Abbreviations: dpc, deltopectoral crest; ect, ectepicondyle; ent, entepicondyle; pf, pneumatic foramen. Scale bar = 10 mm.
Fig 13
Fig 13. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 forelimb elements.
3D model of forelimb in dorsal view (A); distal left metacarpus IV in posterior view (B); right proximal wing phalanx I in ventral view (C); left carpal elements in anterior view (D); left manus in lateral view (E). Abbreviations: car, carpus; d1-4, wing phalanges; dco, dorsal condyle; dsyn, distal syncarpal; etps, extensor tendon process saddle; ft, flexor tubercle; hu, humerus; man, manus; mc1-4, metacarpals 1–4; ms, medial sulcus; p1-3, manual phalanges; pacar, paraxial carpal; psyn, proximal syncarpal; pte, pteroid; rad, radius; sc, scapulocoracoid; ul, ulna; vco, ventral condyle; vct, ventral cotyle. Scale bar = 50 mm (A); 10 mm (B-E).
Fig 14
Fig 14. Tupandactylus navigans GP/2E 9266 hindlimb elements.
3D model of right femur in anterior view (A); medial view (B); proximal region in medio-posterior view (C); left tibia and fibula in anterior view (D); left pes (E). Abbreviations: ast, astragalus; cal, calcaneum; dta, distal tarsus; fb, fibula; gtr, great trochanter; h, femoral head; ms, medial sulcus; mt, metatarsus; p, phalanxes; pf, pneumatic foramen; tb, tibia. Scale bar = 20 mm (A-D); 10 mm (E).
Fig 15
Fig 15. Phylogenetic analysis using the character matrix of [14].
Strict-consensus tree recovered from the first phylogenetic analysis (A) and including specimen MN 6588-V, showing only Tapejaridae clade (B). Bremer support (> 1) is found over the nodes, and bootstrap (> 50) under the nodes.
Fig 16
Fig 16. Skeletal mount of Tupandactylus navigans specimen GP/2E 9266.
Skeletal mount of all bony elements recovered with the image segmentation of specimen GP/2E 9266. Scale bar = 50 mm.
Fig 17
Fig 17. Skeletal and living reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans based on specimen GP/2E 9266.
Skeletal reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans based on specimen GP/2E 9266 in lateral (A) and dorsal (B) views. Living interpretative reconstruction of Tupa. navigans based on specimen GP/2E 9266 (C). Scale bar = 50 mm.
Fig 18
Fig 18. Comparison of the skulls of Tupa. navigans and Tupa. imperator.
Comparison of the skulls of Tupa. navigans GP/2E 9266 (A), Tupa. navigans SMNK PAL 2344 (B), Tupa. navigans SMNK PAL 2343 (C), Tupa. imperator CPCA 3590 (D), and Tupa. imperator MCT 1622-R (E). Scale bar = 100 mm.
Fig 19
Fig 19. Skull reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans specimen GP/2E 9266.
Skull reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans based on specimen GP/2E 9266 showing the non-ossified tissue and the jaw gap. Scale bar = 100 mm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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