分类： 生物学 >> 生物进化论 提交时间： 2024-05-31
摘要： Within the dicynodont genus Turfanodon, there are two recognized species, T.bogdaensis and T. jiufengensis. Both species are known by relatively complete cranial materials, but the mandibles and most postcranial bones have been described only for T. jiufengensis. This paper reports new dicynodont specimens from Turpan, Xinjiang, referring them to T. bogdaensis. They can clearly be differentiated from T. jiufengensis by the flatter lateral surface of the snoutregion, a prominent swelling on the lateral dentary shelf, and the rounded femoral head. Thediagnosis of Turfanodon is revised. The combination of a flat circumorbital rim, posterior portionof anterior pterygoid rami with converging ventral ridges, and a possible autapomorphy, a deepnotch on scapula forming procoracoid foramen, are confirmed. It also differentiated from alldicynodonts other than Myosaurus, Kembawacela and Lystrosaurus by having accessory ridgeslateral to the median palatal ridge.
分类： 生物学 >> 植物学 提交时间： 2024-04-15 合作期刊: 《干旱区科学》
摘要： The maintenance of sand-fixing vegetation is important for the stability of artificial sand-fixing systems in which seed dispersal plays a key role. Based on field wind tunnel experiments using 11 common plant species on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert, China, we studied the secondary seed dispersal in the fixed and semi-fixed sand dunes as well as in the mobile dunes in order to understand the limitations of vegetation regeneration and the maintenance of its stability. Our results indicated that there were significant variations among the selected 11 plant species in the threshold of wind speed (TWS). The TWS of Caragana korshinskii was the highest among the 11 plant species, whereas that of Echinops gmelinii was the lowest. Seed morphological traits and underlying surface could generally explain the TWS. During the secondary seed dispersal processes, the proportions of seeds that did not disperse (no dispersal) and only dispersed over short distance (short-distance dispersal within the wind tunnel test section) were significantly higher than those of seeds that were buried (including lost seeds) and dispersed over long distance (long-distance dispersal beyond the wind tunnel test section). Compared with other habitats, the mobile dunes were the most difficult places for secondary seed dispersal. Buried seeds were the easiest to be found in the semi-fixed sand dunes, whereas fixed sand dunes were the best sites for seeds that dispersed over long distance. The results of linear mixed models showed that after controlling the dispersal distance, smaller and rounder seeds dispersed farther. Shape index and wind speed were the two significant influencing factors on the burial of seeds. The explanatory power of wind speed, underlying surface, and seed morphological traits on the seeds that did not disperse and dispersed over short distance was far greater than that on the seeds that were buried and dispersed over long distance, implying that the processes and mechanisms of burial and long-distance dispersal are more complex. In summary, most seeds in the study area either did not move, were buried, or dispersed over short distance, promoting local vegetation regeneration.
分类： 生物学 >> 生物进化论 提交时间： 2024-03-21
摘要： The affinity of ‘Dongfangaspis qujingensis’, initially assigned to Dongfangaspisbut later to Laxaspis, has long been controversial. However, the taxonomical revision raisesa new problem of junior homonym since the type species of Laxaspis is L. qujingensis. Here,we describe some new materials of ‘Dongfangaspis qujingensis’ and Damaspis vartus fromthe Xishancun Formation (early Lochkovian, Early Devonian) in Qujing, Yunnan Province.‘Dongfangaspis qujingensis’ strikingly resembles Damaspis vartus in the slightly longerheadshield, bifurcated ends of the lateral transverse canals, unconnected V-shaped posteriorsupraorbital canals, and at least seven pairs of lateral transverse canals issuing from the lateraldorsal canal. These similarities indicate that ‘D. qujingensis’ is more suggestive of Damaspis thanDongfangaspis and Laxaspis. Therefore, we propose to remove ‘Dongfangaspis qujingensis’ fromLaxaspis to Damaspis. The new specimens of Damaspis vartus reveal five long lateral transversecanals on the right side, corroborating that the asymmetric sensory canal system in the holotype isthe intraspecific variation.
分类： 生物学 >> 生物进化论 提交时间： 2024-03-20
摘要： Here we report a new form of amphicyonid from an uncertain locality in the LinxiaBasin. The derived dental traits imply an affinity to Magericyon, previously known from Europe and possibly southern Asia. The specimen suggests a higher diversity of amphicyonids in eastern Asia than previously thought, and more discovery with stratigraphic information will be needed to elucidate the evolution of Amphicyonidae in eastern Asia.
分类： 生物学 >> 生物进化论 提交时间： 2024-03-15
摘要： The previously alleged ‘eugnathid amiiform’ Sinoeugnathus kueichowensis is asmall-sized halecomorph from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) marine deposits of Guizhou andYunnan, China. A morphological redescription and taxonomic revision of this taxon are providedbased on a detailed examination of 15 new specimens. Among them, IVPP V24315 (standardlength = 64 mm) is appointed as the neotype, given that the holotype is missing. Studies of thesespecimens revealed some morphological details previously undescribed or misidentified forthis taxon, including a hatchet-shaped antorbital, two broad suborbitals, a sensory canal in themaxilla, and three pairs of extrascapulars. For the first time, Sinoeugnathus was incorporatedinto an analysis of halecomorph phylogeny, and the results recover it as the sister taxon of theAnisian Subortichthys from Luoping, Yunnan, and both are grouped with two Ladinian generaAllolepidotus and Eoeugnathus from the Monte San Giorgio area into a monophyletic group(namely Subortichthyidae fam. nov. herein) at the base of Ionoscopiformes. This taxonomicreassessment of Subortichthys provides new insights into the phylogeny and paleogeographicevolution of Ionoscopiformes.
分类： 生物学 >> 生物进化论 提交时间： 2024-03-15
摘要： All the extant rhino species belong to Rhinocerotini and either have one horn (a nasal horn) or two horns (a nasal horn and frontal horn). So far, the earliest Rhinocerotini to have been identified in China is the “Dicerorhinus” cixianensis, which was based on a juvenile skull with an associated mandible from the Middle Miocene locality of Jiulongkou in Cixian County, HebeiProvince of northern China. Our analyses suggest that there are similarities between this specimenand the modern genus, Dicerorhinus, but it differs in several cranial traits and therefore cannotbe assigned to the modern genus. Instead, it is closer to the Middle Miocene Lartetotheriumfrom Europe, especially the specimen from La Retama in Spain and should be assigned to thatgenus, indicating the presence of intracontinental dispersal at this time. The Jiulongkou faunais the only Middle Miocene fauna with Rhinocerotini in China, and, together with the faunalcomposition, this implies a more humid and closed environment, in contrast to those found inwestern China. We suggest that the position of the posterior border of the nasal notch is a goodindication of the specimen’s evolutionary level in Rhinocerotini. The anterior position of the nasalnotch as seen in modern Dicerorhinus, together with its certain similarities to L. cixianensis aswell as its differences with more specialized species of the Dihoplus-Pliorhinus-Stephanorhinus-Coelodonta lineage, supports the conclusion that Dicerorhinus experienced little change during anearly 10 Myr evolutionary history, possibly due to the low selection pressure seen in the tropical/subtropical forests in southeastern Asia.
分类： 生物学 >> 人类学 提交时间： 2024-03-06
摘要： The inference of Mesozoic avialan bird diets previously relied on traditional methods such as morphological comparisons among taxa and direct evidence such as identifiable stomach contents. However, the application of these approaches has been limited because of uncommon preservation of relevant fossil evidence. We searched for additional informative characteristics to help develop new methods to assess the diet of fossil birds. In particular, the morphology of the avialan neck is highly modularized and plays roles in multiple functions including food acquisition. The structure of and variation among the cervical vertebrae likely reflects the demands of feeding ecology in fossil and extant birds because the avialan neck evolved to, at least in part, replace the forelimbs by assisting with activities such as cranioinertial feeding and other ecological functions. Here, we utilize morphometric and statistical analyses to establish an initial quantitative relationship between cervical morphology and dietary modes in both extant and extinct birds. This morphometric framework derived from the cervical morphology of living birds is used as a basis to estimate the diet categories of five taxa of Mesozoic birds. The results indicate that there is a quantitative correlation between cervical morphology differentiation and their interrelated feeding modes. The enantiornithine taxa examined exhibit cervical morphologies similar to extant insectivorous or carnivorous birds. The ornithurine species show cervical morphologies that are more aligned with generalist or herbivorous birds, and exhibit preliminary morphological features tied to aquatic adaptions. These findings are consistent in part with other direct fossil evidence, as well as hypotheses developed from other skeletal comparisons. Therefore, the cervical vertebral series, as a skeletal system closely linked to food acquisition, can serve as one of the valuable metrics to provide information for inferring the diet of long extinct Mesozoic birds.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2024-01-28 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： 西班牙羚(Hispanodorcas)是一类中小型牛科动物，此前只在泛地中海地区和南亚有 所发现。西班牙羚的分类一直有所争议，曾被认为与羚羊族(Antilopini), 苇羚族(Reduncini) 或角羊族(Oiocerini)有关。报道了在中国庆阳正宁地区的代店化石点首次发现的陇东西班 牙羚新种(H. longdongica sp. nov.), 时代大约为早保德期(约87百万年前)。新材料包括5个头 骨，保存状态各异，提供了迄今为止关于西班牙羚最完整的骨骼信息。其角心长而细、向 后弯曲，且微弱地同向扭曲(homonymous twist); 角心同时还具有和外背侧沟和内腹沟， 这些都是西班牙羚的典型特征。代店地点发现的西班牙羚在已知各种中体型最小，面部和 脑颅之间的弯曲较弱，前后基结节均发育较弱。这些原始的特征表明陇东西班牙羚可能代表了这个属的早期演化阶段。此外，该种头骨与瞪羚(Gazella)的相似之处表明西班牙羚可 能是直接从瞪羚的祖先演化而来，其同向扭转的角心与角羊族一致，可能是两者平行演化 所致。
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2023-09-20 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： 间型三棱齿象(Trilophodon connexus Hopwood, 1935)长期以来被认为是中国嵌齿象属 (Gomphotherium)的一个代表种。然而，由于其下颌联合部与下门齿的形态未知，这一归入 存疑。重新研究了来自新疆准噶尔盆地北缘乌伦古河地区哈拉玛盖组的一件此前归为陕西嵌齿象相似种(Gomphotherium cf. G. shensiensis)的下颌。该下颌联合部伸长，呈深槽状， 下门齿缺失，因此确定可归入豕棱齿象科(Choerolophodontidae)。进一步将间型三棱齿象 的正型标本与其相比较，两者颊齿的关键特征完全一致，包括：高度丘型化，m3伸长， 具有四脊，上下颊齿第二脊人字型(chevron)很弱，第二脊中附锥与前中心小尖不愈合， 釉质褶皱、齿谷中小锥及白垩质发育弱或缺失。因此，间型三棱齿象事实上是一种豕棱齿 象类而非嵌齿象。综上所述，暂将其改定为间型豕棱齿象 (Choerolophodon connexus (Hopwood, 1935))。同时，以上特征与北美的索普颌门齿象(Gnathabelodon thorpei)比较接 近。此外，在颌门齿象属和间型豕棱齿象中，颊齿第二脊呈人字型, 釉质褶皱、齿谷中 小锥及白垩质发育强这些典型的豕棱齿象属(Choerolophodon)的特征较弱甚至缺失，但m3 齿脊数变多，这表明颌门齿象属可能起源于东亚的间型豕棱齿象。
分类： 生物学 >> 生物学其他学科 提交时间： 2023-09-05 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： 计荣森先生于1940年基于湖南长沙附近中泥盆统跳马涧组采集到的一些以前中背片 为代表的胴甲鱼类标本命名了中华沟鳞鱼(Bothriolepis sinensis), 这是在中国正式命名的第 一种古生代脊椎动物。虽然卢立伍于1988年对后续出产于模式种产地的其他中华沟鳞鱼材 料进行了补充描述，但研究者对中华沟鳞鱼的形态学特征和系统发育仍缺乏全面认识。在 此基于计荣森先生所采集的样本及一些收藏于中国地质博物馆未正式发表的化石，对中华 沟鳞鱼进行了再研究，补充了其头部与躯甲的部分特征。与其他沟鳞鱼类相比，中华沟鳞 鱼拥有以下一系列特征：较大的听上加厚区、颅顶甲长宽比1.41.6、较宽的眶窗(宽于颅顶 甲的1/3)以及扇形的眶前凹等。系统发育分析结果显示，B. askinae并非位于沟鳞鱼支系的 最原始位置；中华沟鳞鱼与广东沟鳞鱼因同样拥有纤细的附肢近端(长宽比大于7)而形成了 一个稳定的单系。本研究中绝大部分的中国种类均位于同一支系上，该支系的共有衍征为 其胸鳍感觉管从第一腹中片延伸至第二腹中片。此外，基于深骨平台数据的古生物地理 可视化分析结果表明，沟鳞鱼类最早于艾菲尔期出现在华南与东冈瓦纳，并迅速地辐射并 扩散至全球，最终于法门期在瑞亚克洋两岸表现出了高度的物种多样性。
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2023-07-12 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： The previously alleged eugnathid amiiform Sinoeugnathus kueichowensis is a small-sized halecomorph from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) marine deposits of Guizhou and Yunnan, China. A morphological redescription and taxonomic revision of this taxon are provided based on a detailed examination of 15 new specimens. Among them, IVPP V24315 (standard length = 64 mm) is appointed as the neotype, given that the holotype is missing. Studies of these specimens revealed some morphological details previously undescribed or misidentified for this taxon, including a hatchet-shaped antorbital, two broad suborbitals, a sensory canal in the maxilla, and three pairs of extrascapulars. For the first time, Sinoeugnathus was incorporated into an analysis of halecomorph phylogeny, and the results recover it as the sister taxon of the Anisian Subortichthys from Luoping, Yunnan, and both are grouped with two Ladinian genera Allolepidotus and Eoeugnathus from the Monte San Giorgio area into a monophyletic group (namely Subortichthyidae fam. nov. herein) at the base of Ionoscopiformes. This taxonomic reassessment of Subortichthys provides new insights into the phylogeny and paleogeographic evolution of Ionoscopiformes.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-11-25 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： The pelvic morphology, and whether the pelvic fin is present or absent in the earliest jawed vertebrates are key in interpreting the origin of vertebrate paired fins. Parayunnanolepis xitunensis, an antiarch placoderm from the Early Devonian of Yunnan, South China, was previously described to possess the earliest evidence of both dermal and endoskeletal pelvic girdles, presumably for the attachment of the pelvic fins. Here, we redescribe the pelvic region of the holotype based on high-resolution computed tomographic data. Instead of having two large plates previously designated as dermal pelvic girdles, Parayunnanolepis possesses three pairs of lateral pelvic plates, and one large oval median pelvic plate. The paired pelvic plates are flat ventral plates, and differ from other dermal pelvic girdles in lacking a dorsal extension. There is no definitive evidence for the presence of an endoskeletal pelvic girdle in Parayunnanolepis, although the possibility cannot be ruled out. A comparison of the dermal pelvic plates in various jawed stem-gnathostomes suggests the presence of both paired and median pelvic plates is shared by different lineages and might be plesiomorphic. The jawed stem-gnathostomes may have recruited the ventral dermal skeleton of the post-thoracic body into different functional units.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-10-16 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： The saurichthyiform fishes, characterized by a pointed rostrum and a streamlined long and slender body plan, ranked among the top predators of the ichthyofauna in the Early Mesozoic oceanic ecosystem. In a cosmopolitan pattern, these fishes rapidly radiated after the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME) and diversified morphologically and ecologically during the Middle Triassic. Thereafter, they seemingly showed a notable shrinkage from a global distribution to an occurrence basically restricted to the western Paleo-Tethys realm since the Late Triassic. Specifically, there is no saurichthyiform fossil record so far from the marine Late Triassic of South China (eastern Paleo-Tethys), where contrastingly they were highly diversified in stratigraphically older Lagersttten (Middle Triassic Panxian-Luoping and Xingyi biotas). Here we report the discovery of Saurichthys taotie sp. nov. from the Guanling biota of Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, southwestern China. This new species is a medium-sized Saurichthys featured by subtriangular subopercles ornamented with densely arranged vertical striae, faint ornamentation on the posterior part of the skull roof, and strong longitudinal ridges decorating the anterodorsal surface of the rostrum. By marking its own groups first occurrence in the Late Triassic of eastern Paleo-Tethyan province, Saurichthys taotie suggests that the saurichthyiform fishes were actually much more widespread than previously thought during that geological stage when they showed a considerable decline in the diversity. By still possessing some features previously only seen in its Early Triassic congeners elsewhere, Saurichthys taotie sheds new light on the evolutionary and paleobiogeographical history of saurichthyiform fishes.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-09-29 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： Abundant mammalian fossils were uncovered during the field exploration for Nihewan beds at the beginning of the 1980s along Xinyaozi Ravine at Nangaoya Township of Tianzhen County, Shanxi Province in North China. But most equid material was not yet described except that of Equus stenonis. Six forms of Nihewanian equids were confirmed from the Xinyaozi specimens in the present study, five of which were described for the first time. They include four stenonids such as Equus sanmeniensis, E. teilhardi, E. huanghoensis and E. stenonis, and two hipparionines such as Hipparion (Proboscidipparion) sinense and H. (Plesiohiparrion) shanxiense. The diversification of stenonids in the Early Pleistocene was significant in North China with four taxa in Xinyaozi alone. The persistence of Neogene relics such as hipparionines was still present in the Early Pleistocene with two hipparionine taxa in Xinyaozi. Equus sanmeniensis and H. (Proboscidipparion) sinense were two representative equids not only coexisted in the Early Pleistocene but also widely distributed in China. The diversity of equids also implies the diversified vegetation on which they depended. The hypsodont dentitions and well developed cement, as well as completely molarized premolars of Xinyaozi equids indicate their abrasive diet mostly on monocotyledonous and grassland habitats with considerable scales enough to nourish six taxa of equids.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-08-02 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： 报道了哈密南湖戈壁首次发现的恐龙蛋，包括长形长形蛋(Elongatoolithus elongatus)和椭圆形蛋未定种(Ovaloolithus oosp.)。这些恐龙蛋的发现不仅扩展了长形蛋类和椭圆形蛋类的古地理分布，而且表明南湖戈壁含蛋岩层地质时代为晚白垩世末期；该地层是否可与吐鲁番盆地的苏巴什组进行对比还有待进一步工作确认
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-06-07 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： Shaanbeikannemeyeria is a common tetrapod from the lower part of the Ermaying Formation of the Ordos Basin, China. There are taxonomical questions surrounding this genus, such as the validity of the genus, and how many species are included within it. Several specimens have been collected since 1978. Shaanbeikannemeyeria first appeared from the top of the Heshanggou Formation. These specimens are described to clarify the diagnostic characters, the individual variations and the phylogenetic position of Shaanbeikannemeyeria. Only one species, S. xilougouensis, is recognized. It is characterized by the following autapomorphies: occiput strongly inclined relative to the palate such that the skull is much shorter basally than dorsally, sword tip-like premaxillary posterodorsal processes, tall and dorsally-convex cutting blade on the medial edge of the dorsal surface of the dentary, reflected lamina with a separated posteroventral process, and 15 dorsal vertebrae. This species shows variations on the cranial morphology, such as the occiput height relative to the width, the snout tip (sharp or obtuse), the shape of the orbital portion of the zygomatic arch, and the shape of caniniform process. Some variations could be ontogenetically related, such as the development of the caniniform process and tusk, the posterior extension of the maxilla on the zygomatic arch, the distance between the frontal and the premaxilla, the intertemporal bar width, and the exposing degree of the parietals. Based on postcranial bones, the second dicynodont genus (possibly Parakannemeyeria) is present in the lower Ermaying Formation.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-04-16 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： A new genus and species of the family Eugaleaspidae (Eugaleaspiformes, Galeaspida), Xitunaspis magnus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lower Devonian Xitun Formation in Qujing, Yunnan Province, China. The new genus displays the diagnostic characters of the Eugaleaspidae, including a slit-like median dorsal opening, no inner cornual process, developed median dorsal canals, and only three pairs of lateral transverse canals extending from lateral dorsal canals. Different from the other eugaleaspids, X. magnus possesses a large headshield with thick dermal bone and a more plesiomorphic sensory canal system. The phylogenetic analysis of the Galeaspida reveals that Xitunaspis clusters with Dunyu and Eugaleaspis to form a monophyletic clade Eugaleaspidae Liu, 1965, and has a closer relationship with Dunyu than Eugaleaspis by sharing the thick dermal bone of the headshield. The new finding represents the first convincing fossil record of the Eugaleaspiformes in the middle Lochkovian Xitun Formation and adds to our knowledge about the morphology of eugaleaspiforms and the evolutionary pattern of the sensory canal system in the Eugaleaspiformes and even Galeaspida.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-04-16 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： Shanshenmiaozui site in Nihewan Basin in North China is a recently discovered Early Pleistocene site which yields rich and diverse mammalian fossils. In the fauna, the small and medium-sized bovid fossils are well represented and can be referred to the following taxa: Spirocerus wongi, Gazella sinensis, Ovis shantungensis and Megalovis piveteaui respectively, among which G. sinensis is the dominate species. S. wongi and G. sinensis are mainly represented by horn-cores and partial skull bones as well as mandibles; in addition, metacarpal and/or metatarsal bones were also recognized for all of the four species. The horn-cores are easy to be identified to the species level, while the dentitions and the postcranial bones underwent a series of examinations and comparisons before getting properly determined and referred to the most approximate taxa. Among the postcranial bones, the metapodials, especially to the metacarpal bones special attentions were paid, which are crucial not only for taxonomic identification, but also for phylogenetic and paleoecological reconstructions; the previously misidentified metapodial specimens in Nihewan fauna were reconsidered in this paper. In the SSMZ fauna, the bovid guild is dominated by Gazella and Bison, which indicates steppe was the most important biome in Nihewan Basin during Early Pleistocene.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-04-16 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： Platybelodon is the predominant proboscidean of northern China’s Middle Miocene. However, the cranial and cheek tooth morphologies are not clearly diagnosed. In particular, the differential diagnoses between Platybelodon and Gomphotherium have not been comprehensively examined. Here we restudied the cranium previously identified as Gomphotherium shensiense. The upper tusks lack an enamel band, the rostrum is long and narrow, the facial part is rostrally positioned, and a large “prenasal slope” is present. These characters are distinct from those of any species of Gomphotherium, but fit well with some primitive species of Platybelodon, i.e., P. tongxinensis and P. danovi. The molars are also close to the type specimen of P. tongxinensis in the tetralophodont M3 with mesiodistally wide interlophs, curved outline, and a tendency of cementodonty. In this article, we synonymized Gomphotherium shensiense with P. tongxinensis. Moreover, we recognized a new species, Platybelodon tetralophus, from the P. grangeri material collected by the AMHN expedition in Tunggur region. Platybelodon tetralophus differs from P. grangeri and the other species in the tetralophodont M2 and m2, representing the most derived species within Platybelodon. It has only occurred in the uppermost horizon of the Tunggur Formation, i.e., the Tamuqin Fauna (Platybelodon Quarry and Wolf Camp Quarry of AMHN). This work is a comprehensive amending of the genus Platybelodon.
分类： 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间： 2022-01-19 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要： Moganopterus zhuiana L�et al. 2012 was erected as a member of the Boreopteridae, which was questioned by different researchers shortly after the publication. Although the new assignment to the Ctenochasmatidae is widely accepted by pterosaur researchers, some characteristics still require a detailed description. Here, the holotype of this taxon is restudied, and some ambiguous characteristics are re-identified. The diagnosis of this taxon has been revised as the following: a large ctenochasmatid pterosaur, which can be distinguished from other members of this clade by a single autapomorphy: an elongated rod-like parietal crest that extends posterodorsally, forming an angle of about 15�with the ventral margin of the skull. This taxon can be further distinguished from other ctenochasmatids on the basis of the following combination of characteristics: straight occlusal surfaces of the upper and low jaws; presence of a low premaxillary crest confined anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra; rostrum about two thirds of the skull length; nasoantorbital fenestra occupying slightly more than 20% of the skull length; about 100 slender teeth; and a mid-cervical length/width ratio of about 7. The wingspan of M. zhuiana has been re-estimated according to a simple regression equation for wingspan versus skull length in ctenochasmatids. It confirms that M. zhuiana, although smaller than previous thought, is still the largest known ctenochasmatid. When comparing the sizes of ctenochasmatids in the Jurassic and Cretaceous, ctenochasmatids showed a rough tendency to increase their sizes.
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