Phosphatodraco

Taxobox
name = "Phosphatodraco"
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Pterosauria
subordo = Pterodactyloidea
familia = Azhdarchidae
genus = "Phosphatodraco"
genus_authority = Pereda-Suberbiola "et al.", 2005
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision ="P. mauritanicus" Pereda-Suberbiola "et al.", 2005 (type) "Phosphatodraco" (meaning "phosphate dragon", in reference to the phosphates of Morocco, the country where it was found) is a genus of azhdarchid pterodactyloid pterosaur from a late Maastrichtian-age Upper Cretaceous portion of the Oulad (or Qualad) Abdoun Phosphatic Basin, Grand Doui, near Khouribga, central Morocco. It is based on OCP DEK/GE 111, which is composed of five associated cervical vertebrae and a bone of unknown origin. The individual to which the neck belonged would have had a wingspan of about 5 meters (16.4 feet). It is unusual among azhdarchids for having elongate vertebrae at the base of the neck; the neck is also one of the most complete known for azhdarchids. It was one of the last pterosaurs before the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event that finished off the group, and is the first azhdarchid found in northern Africa. "P. mauritanicus" is the type and only known species.cite book |last=Pereda-Suberbiola |first=Xabier |coauthors=Bardet, N., Jouve, S., Iarochène, M., Bouya, B., and Amaghzaz, M. |chapter=A new azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco |editor=Buffetaut, E., and Mazin, J.-M. (eds.) |title=Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs |year=2003 |series="Geological Society of London, Special Publications", 217|publisher=Geological Society of London |location=London |pages=80-90 |isbn=1-86239-143-2 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.pterosaur.co.uk/species/UCP/Azhd/Phosphatodraco.htm "Phophatodraco"] in The Pterosaur Database
* [http://archosauria.org/pterosauria/taxonomy/genera/phosphatodraco.html "Phosphatodraco"] in The Pterosauria