On<i>Zhejiangopterus</i>and the relationships of pterodactyloid pterosaurs

Abstract

A summary of recent studies on the interrelationships of pterodactyloid pterosaurs is used as a framework for reassessing the taxonomic status of Zhejiangopterus, a new, long‐necked, Late Cretaceous pterosaur from China that has been assigned to the Nyctosauridae. Characters cited in support of this decision include: a notarium, edentulous jaws, and lack of a cranial crest. However, none of these is diagnostic of the Nyctosauridae. Zhejiangopterus exhibits a number of derived characters (orbit relatively small and located in a low position, posteroventrally facing occiput, features of the humerus and ‘T‐shaped’ cross‐section of wing phalanges two and three) only otherwise found in azhdarchids, thus we propose that Zhejiangopterus be reassigned to the Azhdarchidae.