Anhanguera blittersdorffi

Anhanguera (meaning “old devil”) is closely related to Ornithocheirus and shares some similar attributes, it is also in the family Ornithocheiridae. The skull of Anhanguera is very similar to Ornithocheirus it has the same shape and general structure, its mouth is also crammed full with long sharp teeth. Remains from Anhanguera have been found in Brazil at the famous Santana formation. It was named after the town of Anhanguera in Brazil, where it was discovered.

The fossilised remains of Anhanguera were revolutionary in helping to end some debates on whether pterosaurs could walk on two legs or four. Anhanguera could walk on either two or four legs meaning it quadrupedal. Fossil remains of Anhanguera have been found in the U.K at the famous chalk of England‘s Cambridge Greensand, of the lower Cretaceous Cenomanian stage. Anhanguera also has been included, is to show the similar characteristics of pterosaurs that lived far away from one another in geological and geographical terms but shared an evolutionary similarity.

Name

Anhanguera blittersdorffi

Authority

blittersdorffi [Type] (Campos & Kellner 1985) santanae (Wellnhofer 1985) cuvieri & fittoni (2000, Unwin et al)

Meaning of generic name

Old Devil

Size

Wingspan: 4-5 m

Remains

Several skeletons, isolated teeth and bones, Sections of skull

Age and Distribution

Lower Cretaceous Greensand Formation (Albian), Cambridge, England.

Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation (Cenomanian), Brazil.

Classification

Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ornithocheiridae

Further Reading

Campos, D. A., and Kellner, A. W. A. (1985). "Panorama of the Flying Reptiles Study in Brazil and South America (Pterosauria/ Pterodactyloidea/ Anhangueridae)." Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 57(4):141–142 & 453-466

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Anhanguera blittersdorffi: