Beipiaopterus chenianus (BPM 0002, Lü 2002) Early Creteaceous, ~1 m wingspan, was originally considered a ctenochasmatid. Actually it was derived from a sister to tiny TM 10341. Beipiaopterus phylogenetically preceded another tiny pterosaur, a specimen attributed to Pterodactylus micronyx, CM 11 426 (no. 44 in the Wellnhofer 1970 catalog). Beipiaopterus also phylogenetically preceded the much larger and earlier Late Jurassic stork-like Huanhepterus.
Four times taller than TM 10341, Beipiaopterus is represented by a headless skeleton.
Distinct from TM 10341, the cervical series was elongated. Th caudal series was nearly the length of the torso.
The ulna and radius were robust and distally expanded. The proximal carpal was large tapering distally. Digits I-III are relatively large. Only three wing phalanges were originally described, but four (not counting m4.5, the ungual) are present. Typical for sister taxa, but atypical for pterosaurs on the whole, m4.2 is by far the shortest phalanx in series.
The prepubis was smaller. The metatarsals were not compressed and they were longer and more gracile. Pedal 3.2 was the short phalanx in digit III.
Originally described with three wing phalanges, much of m 4.1 is buried leaving only the proximal and distal tips showing.
See the pterosaur family tree here. |
