Pteranodon longiceps YPM 1177

Pteranodon longiceps YPM 1177 (Marsh 1876) is the holotype for Pteranodon. It was derived from a sister to the KUVP 2216 specimen of Pteranodon and phylogenetically preceded at least the skull of KUVP 2212, which is a chimaera (composite of several specimens) mount.

Distinct from KUVP 2216, the skull of Pteranodon longiceps was relatively shorter with the dorsal margin concave anterior to the antorbital fenestra. The tallest portion of the antorbital fenestra was at the posterior rim. Relative to the jawline, the anterior margin of the orbit leaned posteriorly. The squamosal process of the postorbital was shorter. The upper temporal fenestra opened posteriorly. The crest extended to the anterior orbit. The mandible was deeper than the rostrum.

The family tree of Pteranodon is here. The family tree of the Ornithocephalia and Germanodactylia is here. The expanded family tree of the Pterosauria is here.

Click to enlarge the family tree of Nyctosaurus and Pteranodon represented by skulls to scale. Note there is no indication of gender or age in this tree, other than in the juvenile Pteranodon ingens known as Ptweety (represented by more than a skull here). Skulls are identified here.

Click here to read caption identifying the various Pteranodon post-crania shown here.

Pteranodon is featured in

Bennett SC 1991. Morphology of the Late Cretaceous Pterosaur Pteranodon and Systematics of the Pterodactyloidea. [Volumes I & II]. Ph.D. thesis, University of Kansas, University Microfilms International/ProQuest.

Bennett SC 1992. Sexual dimorphism of Pteranodon and other pterosaurs, with comments on cranial crests. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 12: 422–434.

Bennett SC 1994. Taxonomy and systematics of the Late Cretaceous pterosaur Pteranodon (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea). Occassional Papers of the Natural History Museum University of Kansas 169: 1–70.

Bennett SC 2001. The osteology and functional morphology of the Late Cretaceous pterosaur Pteranodon. Part I. General description of osteology. Palaeontographica, Abteilung A, 260: 1–112. Part II. Functional morphology. Palaeontographica, Abteilung A, 260: 113–153

Marsh OC 1876. Notice of a new sub-order of Pterosauria. American Journal of Science, Series 3, 11:507-509.

wiki/Pteranodon

Pteranodontia

Nyctosaurus

Muzquizopteryx

Nyctosaurus FHSM VP 21

Nyctosaurus FMNH 25026

Nyctosaurus UNSM 93000

Nyctosaurus KJ

Pteranodon

Pteranodon occidentalis
YPM 1179

Pteranodon FHSM VP 2183