New specimens of pterosaurs with soft-part preservation from the Solnhofen Lithographic Limestone (S Germany) and the Crato Formation (northeastern Brazil) yield hitherto unknown and unexpected details of pterosaur anatomy: the presence and internal anatomy of softtissue crests, the internal anatomy of the brachiopatagium, including a blood vessel system and structural details of foot and hand. Some consequences for pterosaurian flight, thermoregulation and aspects of evolution are discussed.

An exceptionally well-preserved cranium and mandible of a new species of pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Nova Olinda Member of the Crato Formation (Aptian, Early Cretaceious) of the Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil, is described. The new taxon is characterized by the presence of a caudally directed parietal crest similar to that seen in pteranodontids, but is referred to the Ornithocheiridae of the Ornithocheiroidea. The specimen is referred to a new genus within the Ornithocheiridae, as it lacks the diagnostic rostral crest and instead possesses this parietal crest oriented. A lanceolate leaf with frayed distal end wedged between the mandibular rami suggests the cause of death for the specimen.

Two specimens of a tapejarid pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae) are described as representing a new species. Both specimens show evidence for soft tissues preserved in association with a sagittal bony cranial crest. Both specimens are from the Nova Olinda Member Konservat Lagerstätte of the Crato Formation of the Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. They represent the second tapejarid species from this formation. Comparisons are made with other crested pterosaurs and comments on the utility and aerodynamics of pterosaurian head crests are made.

Thalattosuchian crocodilians of the genus Geosaurus have mostly been recorded from the Jurassic of Europe. A single species was reported from Argentina. Here we describe a new species of Geosaurus vignaudi from the middle Tithonian La Pimienta Formation of State of Puebla, Mexico. Diagnostic for this species are the extremely low tooth count and a rostroventrally directed process at the rostral terminus of the mandible combined with a pair of horizontally directed rostral teeth. The skull of the holotype shows bite marks that probably caused the death of the animal.

Among Pterosauria there are three types of scapulocoracoid construction. In the omithocheirid scapulocoracoid the scapula is oriented almost horizontally; it is shorter than the coracoid and the glenoid fossa is level with the ventral margin of the vertebral column. In the azhdarchid scapulocoracoid the scapula is curved ventrally and is as long as the coracoid. In this construction the glenoid fossa lies approximately in the mid-horizontal plane of the chest. In the tapejaroid construction, the scapula is about one-third longer than the coracoid, which is oriented subhorizontally, and the glenoid fossa is level with the dorsal rim of the stemal plate. Both latter conditions are hitherto unknown among flying vertebrates and result in an unstable, but manoeuvrable flight, probably powered with wing beats.

No abstract

From the Middle Jurassic on, the Tethys basin opened westward; the existence of a Carribean corridor linking the European and Pacific realms now appears well supported by comparison of marine reptile assemblages (e.g., Gasparini and Fernández, 1997, 2005; Gasparini et al., 2000; Fernández and Iturralde-Vinent, 2000; Gasparini and Iturralde-Vinent, 2001, 2006; Gasparini et al., 2002). Marine transgression in Mexico began during the Callovian, as evidenced by the evaporites of the Minas Viejas Fm. However, microfossils and invertebrate assemblages indicate that the Mexican Gulf remained isolated from both the European Archipelago and the Pacific, at least temporarily, until the middle Berriasian; the Florida uplift and southward movement of Yucatan were proposed as possibly forming a barrier (Salvador et al., 1993; Adatte et al., 1994, 1996; Goldhammer, 1999; Goldhammer and Johnston, 2001; Gasparini and Iturralde-Vinent, 2006). After almost a decade of field work and examination of collections, the Late Jurassic marine reptile assemblage of north-east Mexico confirms the conclusions drawn from microfossils and invertebrates. Poorly diagnostic ichthyosaur remains, with various thalattosuchians, numerically dominate the assemblage. Sauropterygians are rare, mainly represented by large pliosaurids of unclear affinities, a few vertebrae attributed to elasmosaurids, and a unique cryptoclidid. Turtles are yet to be reported (Frey et al., 2002; Buchy et al., 2003, 2005b, 2006a–d; Buchy, 2007, 2008a, b; material currently under study).

Abstract. -Reinvestigation of a partial vertebral column from the Kimmeridgian La Caja Formation of Mexico, housed in the University of Linares (Mexico), and previously attributed to a dinosaur, proves to be from a very large pliosaurid plesiosaur. This specimen represents the first plesiosaur described from the Jurassic of Mexico. Its length has been estimated at 15 metres and, as a juvenile, is considered to be one of the largest Jurassic marine reptiles. The remains of this animal are here described. The morphology of the vertebral column is not diagnostic beyond family level. Large pliosaur vertebrae of a similar size are known from the Upper Jurassic of Europe, and are often referred to the genera Liopleurodon or Simolestes but these identifications are based only upon the size of the centra and have no taxonomic justification. A portion of rostrum with teeth was discovered together with the vertebral column but is unfortunately now lost. The Mexican pliosaur fills geographical and chronological gaps between western Tethys and South American pliosaurs, and is an additional support to the hypothesis of a Hispanic corridor linking at least temporarily the NW European marine province with the western South American marine (Pacific) realm during the late Jurassic.