Rodrigo V. Pêgas

On Targaryendraco wiedenrothi gen. nov. (Pterodactyloidea, Pteranodontoidea, Lanceodontia) and recognition of a new cosmopolitan lineage of Cretaceous toothed pterodactyloids

Figshare (2019)

Rodrigo V. Pêgas Borja Holgado Maria E. C. Leal

Ornithocheirus wiedenrothi, from the Hauterivian (Early Cretaceous of Germany), is a taxon represented by three-dimensional remains of the lower jaw and wing elements. Its phylogenetic affinities have for long been elusive, though several works had already pointed out that it probably did not belong within the wastebasket genus Ornithocheirus. In the present contribution, we redescribe this species, assigning it to the new genus Targaryendraco and offering updated morphological comparisons. Subsequently, we present a phylogenetic analysis in which we recover a clade formed by Targaryendraco, Aussiedraco, Barbosania, Aetodactylus, Camposipterus and Cimoliopterus. This newly recognised clade is interesting in being quite cosmopolitan and spanning from the Hauterivian to the Cenomanian, like its sister-group, the Anhangueria. The recognition of this clade helps fill the temporal gap between the Anhangueria and Cimoliopterus, and also demonstrates that the diversity of Cretaceous toothed pterosaurs was higher than previously thought.

Lineage (genetic)

10.6084/m9.figshare.10319810

Cite

Citations (0)

Palaeohistology and palaeopatology of an Aeolosaurini (Sauropoda: Titanosauria) from Morro do Cambambe (Upper Cretaceous, Brazil)

Spanish Journal of Palaeontology (2021)

Arthur Souza Brum Kamila L. N. Bandeira Borja Holgado Rafael Gomes de Souza Rodrigo V. Pêgas

A recent publication of fossil bones of titanosaurs assigned to Aeolosaurini from the Morro do Cambambe site (Mato Grosso state, Brazil, Upper Cretaceous) reported anomalous growth in some of them. Here, we present osteohistological sections of elements to understand not only the microstructure and growth of such bones, but also the nature of those anomalies. The primary bone of all specimens consisted of a variation of the fibrolamellar complex, with the inner cortex being rich in woven bone with dispersed longitudinal canals, while the outer cortex was parallel-fibred with rows of longitudinal canals, interlayered by Lines of Arrested Growth (LAGs). We identified a maximum of two LAGs in the cervical rib and haemal arch, and four in the dorsal rib. The haemal arch shows an External Fundamental System (EFS) in most sections. The advanced remodelling and variation of the fibrolamellar bone in the cortex suggests that all the specimens represent individuals that reached sexual maturity. However, the haemal arch was distinct due to the wide distribution of EFS. The dorsal rib exhibited periosteal and endosteal outgrowth. Such microstructure was assigned to a reactive bone due to an intra-thoracic infection (a pneumonia, probably related to a tuberculosis), which is the first report in a non-avian dinosaur. The microstructure resembles the medullary bone recovered in dinosaurs, which suggests that further studies of medullary bone in thoracic bones should also regard the pathological cases.

Sauropoda

10.7203/sjp.36.1.20305

Cite

Citations (6)

A new darwinopteran pterosaur reveals arborealism and an opposed thumb (project)

MorphoBank datasets (2021)

Xiao-ling Zhou Rodrigo V. Pêgas W Ma G Han Xiuri Jin

10.7934/p3951

Cite

Citations (0)

Peer Review #3 of "Nurhachius luei, a new istiodactylid pterosaur (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province (China) and comments on the Istiodactylidae (v0.1)"

Xuanyu Zhou Rodrigo V. Pêgas María do Carmo Leal Niels Bonde M Leal

A new istiodactylid pterosaur, Nurhachius luei sp.nov., is here reported based on a complete skull with mandible and some cervical vertebrae from the lower part of the Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning (China).This is the second species of Nurhachius, the type-species being N. ignaciobritoi from the upper part of the Jiufotang Formation.A revised diagnosis of the genus Nurhachius is provided, being this taxon characterized by the presence of a slight dorsal deflection of the palatal anterior tip, which is homoplastic with the Anhangueria and Cimoliopterus.

10.7287/peerj.7688v0.1/reviews/3

Cite

Citations (0)

A reassessment of the historical fossil findings from Bahia State (Northeast Brazil) reveals a diversified dinosaur fauna in the Lower Cretaceous of South America

Historical Biology (2024)

Kamila L. N. Bandeira Bruno A. Navarro Rodrigo V. Pêgas Natan Santos Brilhante Arthur Souza Brum

Supposed dinosaur remains were collected between 1859 and 1906 in the Lower Cretaceous Recôncavo Basin (Northeast Brazil). Since these materials remained undescribed, and most were considered lost. Recently, some of these historical specimens were rediscovered in the Natural History Museum of London, providing an opportunity to revisit them after 160 years. The specimens come from five different sites, corresponding to the Massacará (Berriasian-Barremian) and Ilhas (Valanginian-Barremian) groups. Identified bones comprise mainly isolated vertebral centra from ornithopods, sauropods, and theropods. Appendicular remains include a theropod pedal phalanx, humerus, and distal half of a left femur with elasmarian affinities. Despite their fragmentary nature, these specimens represent the earliest dinosaur bones discovered in South America, enhancing our understanding of the Cretaceous dinosaur faunas in Northeast Brazil. The dinosaur assemblage in the Recôncavo Basin resembles coeval units in Northeast Brazil, such as the Rio do Peixe Basin, where ornithopods coexist with sauropods and theropods. This study confirms the presence of ornithischian dinosaurs in Brazil based on osteological evidence, expanding their biogeographic and temporal range before the continental rifting between South America and Africa. Additionally, these findings reinforce the fossiliferous potential of Cretaceous deposits in Bahia State, which have been underexplored since their initial discoveries.

Osteology

Sauropoda

Theropoda

10.1080/08912963.2024.2318406

Cite

Citations (4)

A Basal Tapejarine (Pterosauria; Pterodactyloidea; Tapejaridae) from the Crato Formation, Early Cretaceous of Brazil

PLoS ONE (2016)

Rodrigo V. Pêgas Maria Eduarda de Castro Leal Alexander W. A. Kellner

A three-dimensional and almost complete pterosaur mandible from the Crato Formation (Early Cretaceous of Northeastern Brazil), Araripe Basin, is described as a new species of a tapejarine tapejarid. Tapejarines are a particular group of toothless pterosaurs, characterized by well-developed cranial crests, downturned rostra, and have been proposed to represent frugivorous flying reptiles. Though comparatively well represented and distributed, the evolutionary history of the group is still poorly known, and the internal relationships of its members are not well understood. The new species here reported, named Aymberedactylus cearensis gen. et sp. nov., adds new data concerning the evolution of the group, concerning their morphology and geographical origin. It differs from known tapejarids due to its unusually elongate retroarticular process and a shallow fossa on the splenial exhibiting distinctive rugose texture. Furthermore, it exhibits a suite of basal and derived conditions within the Tapejaridae, demonstrating how their morphological traits probably evolved and that these forms were even more diverse than already acknowledged. The discovery of Aymberedactylus cearensis sheds new light on the evolutionary history of the Tapejarinae.

Frugivore

Basal (medicine)

10.1371/journal.pone.0162692

Cite

Citations (39)

Reassessment of an azhdarchid pterosaur specimen from the Mifune Group, Upper Cretaceous of Japan

Cretaceous Research (2024)

Xuanyu Zhou Naoki Ikegami Rodrigo V. Pêgas Toru Yoshinaga Takahiro Satô

10.1016/j.cretres.2024.106046

Cite

Citations (0)

New information on the osteology and a taxonomic revision of the genus Thalassodromeus (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodrominae)

Figshare (2018)

Rodrigo V. Pêgas Fabiana Rodrigues Costa Alexander W. A. Kellner

Thalassodromeus sethi (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodrominae) is a unique pterosaur from the Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin (Early Cretaceous, Albian). A large sagittal cranial crest (the largest known ossified crest of any pterosaur) and unusual toothless bladed jaws constitute some of its outstanding anatomical features. Its holotype (DGM 1476-R, almost complete skull and mandible in three dimensions) represents one of the largest pterosaur skulls ever found. Here, we provide a detailed osteological redescription of the holotype, which has only been preliminarily described. We also describe and depict for the first time some skeletal regions of Th. sethi, including the occiput, the palatal openings, and a dentary fragment. Finally, in the light of new information concerning this species, we revisited the specimen NMSG SAO 251093 (an incomplete mandible), also from the Romualdo Formation and originally referred to Th. sethi but recently redescribed as a new species of dsungaripterid pterosaur named Banguela oberlii. Here, the analysis of a cast (MN 4703-V) and its inclusion in a phylogenetic analysis recovered NMSG SAO 251093 within the Thalassodrominae, as a sister taxon of Th. sethi and indeed different from it at the species level. We hereby rename it Thalassodromeus oberlii, comb. nov. These considerations provide new data for discussions concerning the morphology of the Tapejaridae, the diversity of the Araripe pterosaur fauna, and the complex evolution of the pterodactyloid palatal region, as well as data for future morphofunctional studies of Thalassodromeus. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP Citation for this article: Pêgas, R. V., F. R. Costa, and A. W. A. Kellner. 2018. New information on the osteology and a taxonomic revision of the genus Thalassodromeus (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodrominae). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1443273.

Osteology

10.6084/m9.figshare.6161111.v1

Cite

Citations (0)

New Information on the osteology and a taxonomic revision of The genus Thalassodromeus (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodrominae)

Figshare (2018)

Rodrigo V. Pêgas Fabiana Rodrigues Costa Alexander W. A. Kellner

Thalassodromeus sethi (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodrominae) is a unique pterosaur from the Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin (Early Cretaceous, Albian). A large sagittal cranial crest (the largest known ossified crest of any pterosaur) and unusual toothless bladed jaws constitute some of its outstanding anatomical features. Its holotype (DGM 1476-R, almost complete skull and mandible in three dimensions) represents one of the largest pterosaur skulls ever found. Here, we provide a detailed osteological redescription of the holotype, which has only been preliminarily described. We also describe and depict for the first time some skeletal regions of Th. sethi, including the occiput, the palatal openings, and a dentary fragment. Finally, in the light of new information concerning this species, we revisited the specimen NMSG SAO 251093 (an incomplete mandible), also from the Romualdo Formation and originally referred to Th. sethi but recently redescribed as a new species of dsungaripterid pterosaur named Banguela oberlii. Here, the analysis of a cast (MN 4703-V) and its inclusion in a phylogenetic analysis recovered NMSG SAO 251093 within the Thalassodrominae, as a sister taxon of Th. sethi and indeed different from it at the species level. We hereby rename it Thalassodromeus oberlii, comb. nov. These considerations provide new data for discussions concerning the morphology of the Tapejaridae, the diversity of the Araripe pterosaur fauna, and the complex evolution of the pterodactyloid palatal region, as well as data for future morphofunctional studies of Thalassodromeus. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP Citation for this article: Pêgas, R. V., F. R. Costa, and A. W. A. Kellner. 2018. New information on the osteology and a taxonomic revision of the genus Thalassodromeus (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodrominae). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1443273.

Osteology

10.6084/m9.figshare.6161111

Cite

Citations (0)

Nurhachius luei, a new istiodactylid pterosaur (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province (China) and comments on the Istiodactylidae

PeerJ (2019)

Xuanyu Zhou Rodrigo V. Pêgas Maria E. C. Leal Niels Bonde

A new istiodactylid pterosaur, Nurhachius luei sp. nov., is here reported based on a complete skull with mandible and some cervical vertebrae from the lower part of the Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning (China). This is the second species of Nurhachius , the type-species being N. ignaciobritoi from the upper part of the Jiufotang Formation. A revised diagnosis of the genus Nurhachius is provided, being this taxon characterized by the presence of a slight dorsal deflection of the palatal anterior tip, which is homoplastic with the Anhangueria and Cimoliopterus. N. luei sp. nov. shows an unusual pattern of tooth replacement, with respect to other pterodactyloid species. The relationships within the Istiodactylidae and with their closest taxa are investigated through a phylogenetic analysis by parsimony.

10.7717/peerj.7688

Cite

Citations (21)

Rodrigo V. Pêgas

Papers

Citation

H-Index

i-10 index

Papers

Citation

H-Index

i-10 index