Gladocephaloideus
Art: Joschua Knüppe
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Gladocephaloideus
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A pterosaur from the Yixian Formation, this small ctenochasmatid is known from nearly complete remains.
Pterosaur data
Mesozoic era · 252–66 Ma
Wingspan
About this pterosaur
The Early Cretaceous Jehol biota (Yixian and Jiufotang) was filled to bursting with ctenochasmatid pterosaurs. On the bigger end of the spectrum was the huge, lanky Moganopterus. A much more recent find was far smaller. This new pterosaur is Gladocephaloideus, named in 2012 for some excellently preserved remains. Two specimens are known, neither of which were fully grown animals.
The second juvenile Gladocephaloideus is the most complete skeleton of a ctenochasmatid known from China. This new specimen shows 50 sharp-tipped teeth in a pair of narrow jaws, perfectly suited for catching very small fish just off the water's surface. The skull of the animal was also roughly 18 centimeters long, and it isn't known how big the adult pterosaur got.
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