A regurgitalite reveals a new filter-feeding pterosaur from the Santana Group
Pêgas, R. V. (Universidade de São Paulo)
Aureliano, Tito (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte)
Holgado, Borja (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
Almeida, William (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte)
Santos, Claude (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte)
Ghilardi, Aline Marcele (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte)

Data:	2025
Resum:	The Santana Group in Northeast Brazil has yielded a remarkable discovery: the first filter-feeding pterosaur from the tropics, named Bakiribu waridza gen. et sp. nov. This new taxon provides key insights into the evolutionary history and ecological diversity of Ctenochasmatidae, a clade known for its specialized feeding adaptations. Bakiribu exhibits extremely elongated jaws and dense, brush-like tooth rows, similar to Pterodaustro but distinct in tooth cross-section and spacing. Paleohistological analysis of the teeth revealed well-preserved dentine and pulp cavities. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Bakiribu as the sister taxon to Pterodaustro, forming a clade more closely related to Ctenochasma than to Gegepterus, which is reinterpreted as a non-ctenochasmatine. Regarding some specific traits such as tooth density, elongation, and count, Bakiribu is intermediate between Ctenochasma and Pterodaustro, thus partially bridging a key evolutionary gap within Ctenochasmatinae. Taphonomic features support the interpretation of the fossil assemblage as a regurgitalite. This discovery brings crucial data for understanding biogeographic dispersal and ecological specialization within Ctenochasmatinae during the Early Cretaceous, and offers rare evidence of predator-prey interactions in the Romualdo Formation paleoecosystem. Together, these findings further underscore the importance of the Araripe Basin as a window into the Early Cretaceous biodiversity.
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Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Publicat a:	Scientific reports, Vol. 15 (November 2025) , art. 37336, ISSN 2045-2322

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-22983-3
PMID: 41214057

13 p, 4.7 MB

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