Dataset Information

Discovery of a rare arboreal forest-dwelling flying reptile (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from China.

ABSTRACT: A previously undescribed toothless flying reptile from northeastern China, Nemicolopterus crypticus gen. et sp. nov., was discovered in the lacustrine sediments of the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation, western Liaoning, China. The specimen consists of an almost complete articulated skeleton (IVPP V14377) and, despite representing an immature individual, based on the ossification of the skeleton, it is not a hatchling or newborn, making it one of the smallest pterosaurs known so far (wing span approximately 250 mm). It can be distinguished from all other pterosaurs by the presence of a short medial nasal process, an inverted "knife-shaped" deltopectoral crest of the humerus, and the presence of a well developed posterior process on the femur above the articulation with the tibia. It further shows the penultimate phalanges of the foot curved in a degree not reported in any pterosaur before, strongly indicating that it had an arboreal lifestyle, more than any other pterodactyloid pterosaur known so far. It is the sister-group of the Ornithocheiroidea and indicates that derived pterosaurs, including some gigantic forms of the Late Cretaceous with wingspans of >6 m, are closely related to small arboreal toothless creatures that likely were living in the canopies of the ancient forests feeding on insects.

SUBMITTER: Wang X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2538868 | biostudies-other | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Discovery of a rare arboreal forest-dwelling flying reptile (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from China.

Wang Xiaolin X Kellner Alexander W A AW Zhou Zhonghe Z Campos Diogenes de Almeida Dde A

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20080211 6

A previously undescribed toothless flying reptile from northeastern China, Nemicolopterus crypticus gen. et sp. nov., was discovered in the lacustrine sediments of the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation, western Liaoning, China. The specimen consists of an almost complete articulated skeleton (IVPP V14377) and, despite representing an immature individual, based on the ossification of the skeleton, it is not a hatchling or newborn, making it one of the smallest pterosaurs known so far (wing spa ...[more]

PMID: 18268340

Similar Datasets

Project description:Forest management guidelines for rare or declining species in the Pacific Northwest, USA, include both late successional reserves and specific vegetation management criteria. However, whether current management practices for well-studied species such as northern spotted owls (Strix occidentallis caurina) can aid in conserving a lesser known subspecies-Humboldt martens (Martes caurina humboldtensis)-is unclear. To address the lack of information for martens in coastal Oregon, USA, we quantified vegetation characteristics at locations used by Humboldt martens and spotted owls in two regions (central and southern coast) and at two spatial scales (the site level summarizing extensive vegetation surveys and regionally using remotely sensed vegetation and estimated habitat models). We estimated amount of predicted habitat for both species in established reserves. If predicted overlap in established reserves was low, then we reported vegetation characteristics to inform potential locations for reserves or management opportunities. In the Central Coast, very little overlap existed in vegetation characteristics between Humboldt martens and spotted owls at either the site or regional level. Humboldt martens occurred in young forests composed of small diameter trees with few snags or downed logs. Humboldt martens were also found in areas with very dense vegetation when overstory canopy and shrub cover percentages were combined. In the South Coast, Humboldt martens occurred in forests with smaller diameter trees than spotted owl sites on average. Coastal Humboldt martens may use stands of predicted high quality spotted owl habitat in the Pacific Northwest. Nonetheless, our observations suggest that coastal Humboldt martens exist in areas that include a much higher diversity of conifer size classes as long as extensive dense shrub cover, predominantly in the form of high salal and evergreen huckleberry, are available. We suggest that managers consider how structural characteristics (e.g., downed logs, shrub cover, patch size), are associated with long-term species persistence rather than relying on reserves based on broad cover types. Describing vegetation may partially describe suitability, but available prey or predation risk ultimately influence likelihood of individual Humboldt marten use. Guidelines for diversifying vegetation management, and retaining or restoring appropriate habitat conditions at both the stand level and regionally, may increase management flexibility and identify forest conditions that support both spotted owls and Humboldt martens.

Project description:Chien-Lung Chen and Pei-Jen L. Shaner (2018) Resource events such as typhoon-triggered greenfall have consequences for multiple ecological mechanisms, ranging from population dynamics and trophic interactions to ecosystem processes. Arthropods are sensitive to environmental disturbances, and many taxa have been used as indicator species. In a field experiment, we tested the effects of greenfall on ground-dwelling arthropods (mostly litter-dwelling taxa) in a forest of Taiwan red pine (Pinus taiwanensis) in the summer of 2013. Of 20 field plots (5 × 5 m), half received P. taiwanensis greenfall while the other half served as unaltered controls. As predicted, some arthropod taxa responded more strongly than others to the greenfall addition. Among the examined arthropod taxa (Araneae, Coleoptera: Carabidae, Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Collembola, Isopoda: Oniscidea), the predatory staphylid beetles (Staphylinidae) responded positively to greenfall addition while the larger-sized detritivore woodlice (Oniscidea) responded negatively. Contrary to our prediction of a positive response, the smaller-sized detritivore springtails (Collembola) were unaffected by the greenfall addition. At the beginning of this study, we observed short-term effects of a naturally- occurring typhoon, to which springtails and ants (Formicidae) responded negatively while staphylid beetles responded positively. Also contrary to our prediction, these taxon-specific responses did not suffice to alter the composition of arthropod communities. We concluded that the intra-annual effects of typhoons-specifically those associated with greenfall-are more likely to impact certain taxa, including staphylid beetles, woodlice, springtails and ants. At the taxonomic level examined here, these intra-annual effects on community composition are non-detectable. As typhoon frequency and intensity are likely to change with global warming, the study makes a timely contribution to our understanding of typhoon-induced ecological dynamics in subtropical plantation forests.

Dataset Information

Discovery of a rare arboreal forest-dwelling flying reptile (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from China.

Publications

Discovery of a rare arboreal forest-dwelling flying reptile (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from China.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets