This list of pterosaurs is a comprehensive listing of all genera that have ever been included in the order Pterosauria , excluding purely vernacular terms. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera that are now considered invalid, doubtful (nomen dubium ), or were not formally published (nomen nudum ), as well as junior synonyms of more established names, and genera that are no longer considered pterosaurian. The list currently includes 157 genera.
[edit ] Scope and terminology [ ]
There is no official, canonical list of pterosaur genera, but the most thorough attempts can be found at the Pterosauria section of Mikko Haaramo's Phylogeny Archive ,[1 ] the Genus Index at Mike Hanson's The Pterosauria ,[2 ] supplemented by the Pterosaur Species List,[3 ] and in the fourth supplement of Donald F. Glut 's Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia series.[4 ]
[edit ] Authors and Year [ ]
The authors column lists the authors of the formal description responsible for the erection of the genus listed. They are not necessarily the same as the authors of the type species as sometimes a species from one genus is determined sufficiently distinct to warrant the erection of a new genus to house it. If this is the case, only the latter authors will be listed. The year column notes the year the description was published.
[edit ] Status [ ]
Naming conventions and terminology follow the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature . Technical terms used include:
Junior synonym : A name which describes the same taxon as a previously published name. If two or more genera are formally designated and the type specimens are later assigned to the same genus, the first to be published (in chronological order) is the senior synonym, and all other instances are junior synonyms. Senior synonyms are generally used, except by special decision of the ICZN, but junior synonyms cannot be used again, even if deprecated. Junior synonymy is often subjective, unless the genera described were both based on the same type specimen.
Nomen nudum (Latin for "naked name"): A name that has appeared in print but has not yet been formally published by the standards of the ICZN. Nomina nuda (the plural form) are invalid, and are therefore not italicized as a proper generic name would be. If the name is later formally published, that name is no longer a nomen nudum and will be italicized on this list. Often, the formally published name will differ from any nomina nuda that describe the same specimen.
Preoccupied name : A name that is formally published, but which has already been used for another taxon. This second use is invalid (as are all subsequent uses) and the name must be replaced. As preoccupied names are not valid generic names, they will also go unitalicized on this list.
Nomen dubium (Latin for "dubious name"): A name describing a fossil with no unique diagnostic features. As this can be an extremely subjective and controversial designation, this term is not used on this list.
The age column denotes the epoch of geologic time to which the fossils date. The abbreviations are as follows.
Genera that are invalid, misidentified, or otherwise do not represent a valid pterosaur are listed as age N/A because there was never a time in which a pterosaur by that generic name actually lived.
[edit ] Location and Notes [ ]
The location column designates the geographic region where remains of the relevant genus have been found. The regions used are continents except in the case of smaller landmasses (eg. Cuba ). Political bodies, being non-existent in the Mesozoic are not used to indicate genera locations. Genera that are invalid, misidentified, or otherwise do not represent a valid pterosaur are listed as location N/A because there was never a place in which a pterosaur by that generic name actually lived. The notes column is a collection of annotations on the scientific significance and taxonomic history of listed genera, as well as elaborations on the information presented in other columns.
[edit ] The list [ ]
[edit ] Genera [ ]
Genus[1]
Authors[2]
Year[3]
Status[4]
Age[5]
Location[6]
Notes
Aetodactylus [5 ]
Myers
2010
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
N. America
Aidachar [6 ]
Nesov
1981
Misidentification.
N/A
N/A
Actually a teleost fish whose remains were originally mistaken for jaw fragments of a ctenochasmatid . The mistake was corrected in 1986 .
Amblydectes
Hooley
1870
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Junior synonym of Coloborhynchus .
Angustinaripterus [7 ]
He
Xinlu
et al.
1983
Valid.
5 Middle Jurassic
Asia
Known from a single skull recovered from the Dashanpu Formation . Its Dorygnathus -like teeth suggest it had a piscivorous diet.
Anhanguera [8 ]
Campos
Kellner
1985
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
A piscivorous ornithocheirid from the Santana Formation . A study of its anatomy helped resolve controversy regarding pterodacyloids' posture while on the ground.
Anurognathus [9 ]
Döderlein
1923
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[10 ]
Europe .[10 ]
A tiny (50 cm wingspan) insectivore known only from two skeletons recovered from the Solnhofen Formation .
Apatomerus [11 ]
Williston
1903
Misidentification.[2 ]
7 Lower Cretaceous
N. America
Probably a misidentified plesiosaur .[2 ]
Arambourgiania [12 ]
Nesov
Kanznyshkina
Cherepanov
1987
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Asia
Aralazhdarcho [13 ]
Averianov
2007
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Asia
Araripedactylus
Wellnhofer
1977
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Araripesaurus
Price
1971
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Arthurdactylus
Frey
Martill
1994
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Austriadactylus [7 ]
Dalla Vecchia
Wild
Reitner
2002
Valid.
3 Upper Triassic
Europe
Avgodectes [14 ]
Peters
2004
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Probable junior synonym of Haopterus .
Azhdarcho [15 ]
Nesov
1984
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Asia
Bakonydraco [16 ]
Weishampel
Jianu
2005
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Europe
Batrachognathus [17 ]
Rjabinin
1948
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[18 ]
Asia .[18 ]
Beipiaopterus [19 ]
Lü J.-C.
2003
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Belonochasma [2 ]
Broili
1939
Misidentification.[2 ]
N/A
N/A
A non-pterosaurian gnathostome .[2 ]
Bennettazhia
Nesov
1991
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
N. America
Bogolubovia [20 ]
Nesov
A. A. Yarkov
1989
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Asia
Boreopterus [21 ]
Lü
Qiang
2005
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Brachytrachelus
Giebel
1852
Preoccupied.
N/A
N/A
preoccupied name; now known as Scaphognathus
Brasileodactylus [22 ]
Kellner
1984
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Cacibupteryx [23 ]
Gasparini
Fernández
de la Fuente
2004
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Cuba
"Campylognathus "[24 ]
Plieninger
1894
Preoccupied.
N/A
N/A
preoccupied name; now known as Campylognathoides
Campylognathoides [7 ]
Strand
1928
Valid.
5 Middle Jurassic [25 ]
Europe .[25 ]
Carniadactylus [26 ]
Dalla Vecchia
2009
Valid.
3 Late Triassic
Europe
Formerly Eudimorphodon rosenfeldi .[26 ]
Cathayopterus [27 ][28 ]
Wang
Zhonghe
2006
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Caulkicephalus [29 ]
Steel
Martill
et al.
2005
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Europe
Caviramus [30 ]
Fröbisch
Fröbisch
2006
Valid.
3 Upper Triassic
Europe
Cearadactylus [31 ]
Leonardi
Borgomanero
1985
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Changchengopterus [32 ]
Lü
2009
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Asia
Chaoyangopterus [33 ]
Wang
Zhou
2003
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Cimoliornis
Owen
1846
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Ornithocheirus .
Coloborhynchus [7 ]
Owen
1874
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Europe
N. America
S. America
Comodactylus [34 ]
Galton
1981
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
N. America
Cretornis
Fritsch
1880
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Ornithocheirus .
Criorhynchus
Owen
1874
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Ornithocheirus .
Ctenochasma [35 ]
von Meyer
1852
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[36 ]
Europe .[36 ]
Cycnorhamphus [7 ]
Seeley
1870
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[37 ]
Europe .[37 ]
"Daitingopterus "[38 ]
Maisch
Matzke
Ge Sun
2004
Nomen nudum .
6 Late Jurassic
Europe
Darwinopterus [39 ]
Lü
Unwin
et al.
2009
Valid.
5 Middle Jurassic
Asia
Intermediate form between rhamphorhynchoids and pterodactyloids.
Dendrorhynchoides [40 ]
Ji S.-A.
Ji Q.
Padian
1999
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic or 7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
"Dendrorhynchus "[41 ]
Ji S.-A.
Ji Q.
1998
Preoccupied.
N/A
N/A
Preoccupied name; now known as Dendrorhynchoides .
Dermodactylus
Marsh
1881
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
N. America
Dimorphodon [7 ]
Owen
1859
Valid.
4 Early Jurassic [42 ]
Europe .[42 ]
Diopecephalus
Seeley
1871
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus .
Dolichorhamphus
Seeley
1880
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Rhamphocephalus .
Domeykodactylus [43 ]
Martill
Frey
et al.
2000
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Doratorhynchus [44 ]
Seeley
1875
Nomen vanum
6 Late Jurassic or 7 Early Cretaceous
Europe
Dorygnathus [7 ]
Wagner
1860
Valid.
5 Middle Jurassic [45 ]
Europe .[45 ]
Dsungaripterus [7 ]
Young
1964
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic -7 Early Cretaceous [46 ]
Africa .[46 ]
Asia .[46 ]
Elanodactylus [47 ]
Andres
Ji, Q.
2008
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Eoazhdarcho [48 ]
Lü
Qiang
2005
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Eopteranodon [49 ]
Lü, J.C.
Zhang
2005
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Eosipterus [7 ]
Ji
Ji
1997
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Eudimorphodon [7 ]
Zambelli
1973
Valid.
2 Middle Triassic [50 ]
Europe .[50 ]
Feilongus [51 ]
Wang,
Kellner ,
et al.
2005
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Gallodactylus
Fabre
1974
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Cycnorhamphus .
Geosternbergia
Miller
1978
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Pteranodon .
Gegepterus [52 ]
Wang, X.
Kellner
et al.
2007
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Germanodactylus [7 ]
Yang
1964
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[53 ]
Europe .[53 ]
Gnathosaurus [7 ]
von Meyer
1833
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[54 ]
Europe .[54 ]
Haopterus [55 ]
Wang X.
Lü J
2001
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Harpactognathus [56 ]
Carpenter
Unwin
et al.
2003
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
N. America
Hatzegopteryx [57 ]
Buffetaut
Grigorescu, D., and
Csiki, Z.
2002
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Europe
Herbstosaurus [7 ]
Casamiquela
1974
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
S. America
Hongshanopterus [58 ]
Xiaolin Wang
Campos
et al.
2008
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Huanhepterus [59 ]
Dong
1982
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Asia
Huaxiapterus [60 ]
Lü, J., and
Yuan, C
2005
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Ingridia [61 ]
Unwin
Martill
2007
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Objective Jr. synonym of Tupandactylus .
Istiodactylus [7 ]
Howse
Milner
Martill
2001
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Europe
Jeholopterus [62 ]
Wang, X.,
Zhou, Z.
2002
Valid.
5 Middle Jurassic or 7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Jidapterus [63 ]
Dong,
Sun, &
Wu,
2003
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Kepodactylus [64 ]
Harris, J.D.
Carpenter
1996
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
N. America
Lacusovagus [65 ]
Witton
2008
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Laopteryx
Marsh
1881
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
N. America
Liaoningopterus [60 ]
Wang X.-L. and
Zhou Z.-H
2003
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Liaoningopteryx
Wang X.
Zhao
2003
Lapsus calami .
N/A
N/A
Misspelling of Liaoningopterus .
Liaoxipterus [59 ]
Dong, Z.
Lü, J.
2005
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
"Lithosteornis "[66 ]
Gervais
1844
Nomen nudum .
N/A
N/A
Nomen nudum . Also a Jr. synonym of Ornithocheirus .
Lonchodectes [7 ]
Hooley
1914
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous to 8 Late Cretaceous
Europe
Lonchognathosaurus [38 ]
Maisch, M.W.,
Matzke, A.T., and
Ge Sun
2004
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Longchengpterus [67 ]
Wang, L.,
Li, L
et al.
2006
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Ludodactylus [68 ]
Frey, E.,
Martill
Buchy, M
2003
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Macrotrachelus
Giebel
1852
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus .
Mesadactylus [69 ]
Jensen
Padian
1989
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
N. America
Montanazhdarcho [70 ]
Padian , K.,
Horner
and de Ricqlès, A.J.
1993
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
N. America
Muzquizopteryx [71 ]
Frey, E.,
Buchy, M.-C.,
et al.
2006
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
N. America
Mythunga [72 ]
Molnar
Thulborn, R.A.
2008
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Australia
Nemicolopterus [73 ]
Wang
Kellner
et al.
2008
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Nesodactylus [74 ]
Colbert
1969
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Cuba
Nesodon [75 ]
Jensen
Ostrom
1977
Lapsus calami .
N/A
N/A
Misspelling of Nesodactylus , also preoccupied by a toxodont .
Ningchengopterus [76 ]
Lu
2009
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Noripterus [7 ]
Yang
1973
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Normannognathus [38 ]
Buffetaut
Lepage, J.-J.
Lepage, G.
1998
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Europe
Nurhachius
Wang
Kellner
et al.
2003
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Nyctodactylus [77 ]
Marsh
1881
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Nyctosaurus .
Nyctosaurus [78 ]
Marsh
1876
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous [79 ]
N. America .[79 ]
S. America .[79 ]
"Odontorhynchus "
Stolley
1936
Preoccupied.
N/A
N/A
Preoccupied , but no replacement name has yet been coined.
"Oolithorhynchus "[2 ]
Whalley
2000
Nomen nudum .[2 ]
Manuscript name[2 ] about which almost nothing is known.
Ornithocephalus [80 ]
von Sömmering
1812
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus .
Ornithocheirus [7 ]
Seeley
1869
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[81 ]
Africa .[81 ]
Australia .[81 ]
Europe .[81 ]
S. America .[81 ]
Ornithodesmus [2 ]
Seeley
1887
Misidentification.[2 ]
N/A
N/A
Misidentified deinonychosaur .[2 ]
Ornithopterus [82 ]
Fitzinger
1843
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Rhamphorhynchus .
Ornithostoma [7 ]
Seeley
1871
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Europe
"Osteornis "[66 ]
Gervais
1844
Nomen nudum .
N/A
N/A
Nomen nudum , but appeared to be a Jr. synonym of Ornithocheirus anyway.
Pachyrhamphus [82 ]
Fitzinger
1843
Preoccupied.
N/A
N/A
preoccupied name; now known as Scaphognathus
Palaeornis
Mantell
1835
Preoccupied.
N/A
N/A
preoccupied name but appears to be a Jr. synonym of Ornithocheirus anyway.
Paranurognathus [83 ]
Peters
2005
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Anurognathus .
Parapsicephalus [84 ]
von Arthaber
1919
Valid.
4 Early Jurassic
Europe
Peteinosaurus [7 ]
Wild
1978
Valid.
2 Middle Triassic [85 ]
Europe .[85 ]
"Phobetor "[2 ][7 ]
Bakhurina
1986
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Noripterus [86 ]
Phosphatodraco [87 ]
Pereda-Suberbiola
N. Bardet
et al.
2003
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Africa
Plataleorhynchus [88 ]
Howse, S.C.B., and
Milner, A.R.
1995
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic to 7 Early Cretaceous
Europe
Preondactylus [7 ]
Wild
1983
Valid.
2 Middle Triassic [89 ]
Europe .[89 ]
"Pricesaurus "[90 ]
Bonaparte
Sanchez, T.M
1986
Nomen nudum .
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Procoelosaurus [91 ]
Atanassov
2002
Nomen ex dissertatione .[2 ]
Ptenodactylus [92 ]
Seeley
1869
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus .
Ptenodracon [93 ]
Lydekker
1888
Preoccupied.
N/A
N/A
Preoccupied name, but appears to be a Jr. synonym of Coloborhynchus anyway.
Pteranodon [7 ]
Marsh
1876
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous [94 ]
N. America .[94 ]
Ptéro-dactyle
Cuvier
1809
N/A
N/A
Renamed Pterodactylus .
Pterodactylus
Rafinesque
1815
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[95 ]
Africa .[95 ]
Europe .[95 ]
Pterodaustro [7 ]
Bonaparte
1970
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous [96 ]
S. America .[96 ]
Pteromimus [91 ]
Atanassov
2002
Nomen ex dissertatione .[2 ]
Pteromonodactylus
Teryaev
1967
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Rhamphorhynchus .
Pterorhynchus [97 ]
Czerkas
Ji, Q.
2002
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Asia
Pterotherium [98 ]
Fischer von Waldheim
1813
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus .
Puntanipterus [99 ]
Bonaparte
Sanchez, T.M
1975
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic to 7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Quetzalcoatlus [7 ]
Lawson
1975
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous [100 ]
N. America .[100 ]
Raeticodactylus [101 ]
Stecher
2008
Valid.
3 Upper Triassic
Europe
Rhabdopelix [2 ]
Cope
1870
Misidentification.[2 ]
N/A
N/A
At first it was thought to be a Triassic pterosaur , but is now known to be (at least in part) a kuehneosaurid .[2 ]
Rhamphinion [102 ]
Padian
1984
Valid.
4 Early Jurassic
N. America
Rhamphocephalus [7 ]
Seeley
1880
Valid.
midjur
Europe
Rhamphorhynchus [7 ]
von Meyer
1846
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[103 ]
Africa .[103 ]
Europe .[103 ]
Santanadactylus [104 ]
de Buisonjé
1980
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Scaphognathus [7 ]
Wagner
1861
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[105 ]
Europe .[105 ]
Sericipterus
2010
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Asia
Shenzhoupterus [106 ]
Lü J.
Unwin
et al.
2008
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Sinopterus [60 ]
Wang, X.
Zhou, Z
2003
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Siroccopteryx [107 ]
Mader
Kellner
1999
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Coloborhynchus .
Sordes [7 ]
Sharov
1971
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic .[108 ]
Asia .[108 ]
Sultanuvaisia [6 ]
Nesov
1981
Misidentification.
8 Late Cretaceous
Asia .
Actually a fish.
Tapejara [7 ]
Kellner
1989
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Tendaguripterus [109 ]
Unwin
Heinrich
1999
Valid.
6 Late Jurassic
Africa
Thalassodromeus [110 ]
Kellner
Campos
2002
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
"Titanopteryx "[111 ]
Arambourg
1959
Preoccupied.
8 Late Cretaceous
Asia
Preoccupied by a simuliid blackfly. It was later renamed Arambourgiania .
Tribelesodon
Bassani
1886
Misidentification.
N/A
N/A
At first it was thought to be a Triassic pterosaur but is now known to be a misinterpreted specimen of the prolacertiform Tanystropheus .
Tropeognathus
Wellnhofer
1987
Jr. synonym .
N/A
N/A
Jr. synonym of Ornithocheirus .
Tupandactylus [112 ]
Kellner
Campos
2007
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
S. America
Tupuxuara [113 ]
Kellner
Campos
1988
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
N. America
S. America
Uktenadactylus [114 ]
Rodrigues
Kellner
2008
Disputed.
6 Early Cretaceous
N. America
Possible junior synonym of Coloborhynchus .
Utahdactylus [115 ]
Czerkas
Mickelson
2002
Disputed.
N/A
N/A
Probably a non-pterosaurian reptile.
Volgadraco [116 ]
Averianov
Arkhangelsky
Pervushov
2008
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous .
Asia .
Wukongopterus
2009
Valid.
5 Middle Jurassic
Asia
"Wyomingopteryx "[117 ]
Bakker
1994
Nomen nudum .
Nomen nudum .
Yixianopterus [118 ]
Lü, Ji S., et al.
2006
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
Appears to be valid, but little is known[119 ]
Zhejiangopterus [120 ]
Cai, Z.
Wei, F.
1994
Valid.
8 Late Cretaceous
Asia
Zhenyuanopterus [121 ]
Lü
2010
Valid.
7 Early Cretaceous
Asia
[edit ] Ichnogenera [ ]
[edit ] Oogenera [ ]
Although pterosaur eggs are known, some with complete embryos, no oogenera have been erected to house them. The holotype of the oospecies Oolithes sphaericus was briefly considered by Harry Govier Seeley to be pterosaurian in origin, although this attribution was dismissed before the formal erection of that oogenus.
[edit ] See also [ ]