One more animal joins the ranks of the Wukongopteridae. It has been known since 2013, named by David Martill and colleagues. For a while it was known as just another monofenestratan pterosaur like the rest.
Both the pterodactyloids and the wukongopterids are combined in the clade known as Monofenestrata, The latter are known for having features of both primitive non-pterodactyloids and more advanced animals. Cuspicephalus was one of these, a wukongopterid.
It was one of the very largest of this group, very much larger than the largest Darwinopterus robustus. A good-sized Cuspicephalus has a wingspan of about 1.2 meters across. However, this still does not make it one of the biggest Jurassic pterosaurs. It had a similar crest to other members of the family, a tall, keratinous crest that might have been used for display purposes. It also had a long tail with vanes of skin called vexillia. This is just like any other wukongopterid or even non-pterodacyloids in general.
Fossils of Cuspicephalus scarfi, the only species, come from the Kimmerigian Stage of the Late Jurassic. It was found in the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of Dorset. These beds date back to about 155 million years ago, and preserve a marine environment like the ones that seemed to be common in Jurassic Europe. It probably did not feed on fish, instead taking on small animals on land due to its small size. The Kimmeridge Clay's marine life contains a plethora of marine reptiles, fish, ammonites and other common sea creatures from the Age of Dinosaurs.
1.2 m (3.9 ft)
