The Paleobiology Database

Basic info	Taxonomic history	Classification	Relationships
Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	Map	Age range and collections

Pterodactyloidea

Taxonomy

Pterodactyloidea was named by Plieninger (1901). It was considered monophyletic by Unwin (2003) and Pereda-Suberbiola et al. (2012) and Martill et al. (2013).

It was reranked as the unranked clade Pterodactyloidea by Unwin (2003), Osi et al. (2005) and Naish et al. (2013).

It was assigned to Breviquartossa by Unwin (2003); to Caelidracones by Andres et al. (2010); to Pterosauria by Delair (1958), Young (1964), Carroll (1988), Sereno (1991), Kellner and Campos (2002), Chure et al. (2006), Wang and Zhou (2006), Andres and Ji (2006) and Pereda-Suberbiola et al. (2012); to Monofenestrata by Martill et al. (2013); and to Pterosauria by Osi et al. (2005) and Naish et al. (2013).

Download authority and opinion data - View classification of included taxa

Synonyms

Pterodactylus validus was named by Owen (1870). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Langton Matravers pterosaurs (PROXY), which is in a Berriasian lagoonal/restricted shallow subtidal horizon in the Purbeck Limestone Formation of the United Kingdom. It is the type species of Doratorhynchus.

It was recombined as Doratorhynchus validus by Seeley (1875) and Delair (1958); it was considered a nomen vanum by Howse and Milner (1995).
Pterodactylus sagittirostris was named by Owen (1874). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is St Leonards-on-Sea, which is in a Berriasian/Valanginian terrestrial horizon in the Hastings Beds Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Lonchodectes sagittirostris by Unwin (2001) and Unwin (2003); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Pterodactylus woodwardi was named by Owen (1861). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Ptenodactylus woodwardi by Seeley (1869); it was recombined as Ornithocheirus woodwardi by Seeley (1870); it was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus sedgwickii by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Pterodactylus carteri was named by Seeley (1870). Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Ornithocheirus carteri by Seeley (1869); it was synonymized subjectively with Ornithocheirus simus by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus tenuirostris was named by Seeley (1870). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Lonchodectes compressirostris by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was considered a nomen nudum by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus xyphorhynchus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus cuvieri by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus dentatus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus cuvieri by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus scaphorhynchus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus cuvieri by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus nasutus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus fittoni by Unwin (2001).
Ornithocheirus polyodon was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus fittoni by Unwin (2001).
Ornithocheirus crassidens was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus sedgwickii by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus brachyrhinus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus cuvieri by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus enchorhynchus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus cuvieri by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Ornithocheirus eurygnathus was named by Seeley (1870). It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was synonymized subjectively with Ornithocheirus capito by Unwin (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Araripesaurus castilhoi was named by Price (1971). Its type specimen is 529-R, a set of limb elements (Partial forelimb), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Chapada do Araripe (general), which is in an Albian lagoonal/restricted shallow subtidal shale in the Santana Formation of Brazil. It is the type species of Araripesaurus.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Kellner and Tomida (2000).
Araripedactylus dehmi was named by Wellnhofer (1977). Its type specimen is BSPG 1975 I 166, a limb element (Partial wing-phalanx), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Chapada do Araripe (general), which is in an Albian lagoonal/restricted shallow subtidal shale in the Santana Formation of Brazil. It is the type species of Araripedactylus.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Kellner and Tomida (2000).
Santanadactylus pricei was named by Wellnhofer (1985). Its type specimen is BSP 1980 I 122, a set of limb elements (Partial forelimb), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Chapada do Araripe (general), which is in an Albian lagoonal/restricted shallow subtidal shale in the Santana Formation of Brazil.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Kellner and Tomida (2000).
Pterodactylus grandipelvis was named by Meyer (1860).

It was considered a nomen dubium by Bennett (2013).
Pterodactylus longipes was named by Münster (1859). Its type specimen is MB.R. 3532; =Ex. 56 and is a 3D body fossil.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus longicollum by Wellnhofer (1970); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bennett (2013).
Osteornis was named by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).

It was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Araripedactylus was named by Wellnhofer (1977). Its type is Araripedactylus dehmi.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Kellner and Tomida (2000).

It was assigned to Pterodactyloidea by Wellnhofer (1977); and to Ornithocheiridae by Carroll (1988).
Pterodactylus montanus was named by Marsh (1878). Its type specimen is YPM 2020, a limb element (distal part of a right metacarpal IV), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Quarry 5, Como Bluff (YPM), which is in a Kimmeridgian/Tithonian wet floodplain sandstone in the Morrison Formation of Wyoming. It is the type species of Dermodactylus.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Jensen and Padian (1989) and Carpenter et al. (2003); it was recombined as Dermodactylus montanus by Marsh (1881), Galton (1981) and Chure et al. (2006).
Ornithocheirus bunzeli was named by Seeley (1881). Its type specimen is UWPI 2349/101, a mandible (Fragment of posterior left lower jae), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Muthmannsdorf, which is in a Campanian estuary/bay coal/sandstone in the Grünbach Formation of Austria.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Buffetaut et al. (2011).
Pterodactylus grandis was named by Cuvier (1824).

It was considered a nomen dubium by Bennett (2013).
Pterodactylus fittoni was named by Owen (1859). Its type specimen is CAMSM B54.423, a partial skull (Rostrum), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Cambridge Greensand [non-specific locality data], which is in an Albian open shallow subtidal marl in the Cambridge Greensand Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Ptenodactylus fittoni by Seeley (1869); it was recombined as Ornithocheirus fittoni by Seeley (1870); it was recombined as Anhanguera fittoni by Unwin (2001) and Unwin (2003); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).
Pterodactylus compressirostris was named by Owen (1851). Its type specimen is BMNH 39410, a maxilla (Partial upper jaw), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Culand Pits, Burham, which is in a Cenomanian/Turonian basinal (carbonate) chalk/marl in the Lower-Upper Chalk Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Lonchodectes compressirostris by Unwin (2001) and Unwin (2003); it was considered a nomen dubium by Rodrigues and Kellner (2013).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1824	Pterodactylus grandis Cuvier
1851	Pterodactylus compressirostris Owen
1859	Pterodactylus longipes Münster
1859	Pterodactylus fittoni Owen
1860	Pterodactylus grandipelvis Meyer
1861	Pterodactylus woodwardi Owen p. 4
1861	Pterodactylus compressirostris Owen p. 274
1861	Pterodactylus fittoni Owen p. 274
1861	Pterodactylus grandis Owen p. 274
1865	Pterodactylus carteri Seeley
1869	Ornithocheirus carteri Seeley
1869	Ptenodactylus fittoni Seeley
1869	Ptenodactylus woodwardi Seeley
1870	Pterodactylus validus Owen
1870	Ornithocheirus fittoni Seeley
1870	Ornithocheirus tenuirostris Seeley
1870	Ornithocheirus woodwardi Seeley
1870	Pterodactylus carteri Seeley
1870	Ornithocheirus oxyrhinus Seeley p. 117
1870	Ornithocheirus xyphorhynchus Seeley p. 117
1870	Ornithocheirus dentatus Seeley p. 119
1870	Ornithocheirus scaphorhynchus Seeley p. 119
1870	Ornithocheirus nasutus Seeley p. 120
1870	Ornithocheirus polyodon Seeley p. 121
1870	Ornithocheirus crassidens Seeley p. 122
1870	Ornithocheirus brachyrhinus Seeley p. 123
1870	Ornithocheirus enchorhynchus Seeley p. 123
1870	Ornithocheirus eurygnathus Seeley p. 123
1874	Pterodactylus sagittirostris Owen p. 3 figs. Pl. II, figs 1-8
1875	Doratorhynchus validus Seeley
1878	Pterodactylus montanus Marsh p. 233
1878	Pterodactylus montanus Williston p. 44
1881	Dermodactylus montanus Marsh p. 342
1881	Ornithocheirus bunzeli Seeley p. 701
1901	Pterodactyloidea Plieninger
1958	Pterodactyloidea Delair p. 69
1958	Doratorhynchus validus Delair p. 71
1964	Pterodactyloidea Young p. 251
1971	Araripesaurus castilhoi Price p. 454
1977	Araripedactylus Wellnhofer
1977	Araripedactylus dehmi Wellnhofer p. 160
1981	Dermodactylus montanus Galton p. 1120
1985	Santanadactylus pricei Wellnhofer p. 132 figs. 19-24
1988	Araripedactylus Carroll
1988	Pterodactyloidea Carroll
1991	Pterodactyloidea Sereno p. 19
2001	Anhanguera fittoni Unwin
2001	Lonchodectes compressirostris Unwin
2001	Lonchodectes sagittirostris Unwin pp. 209-210
2002	Pterodactyloidea Kellner and Campos p. 389
2003	Anhanguera fittoni Unwin p. 145
2003	Lonchodectes compressirostris Unwin p. 145
2003	Lonchodectes sagittirostris Unwin p. 145
2003	Pterodactyloidea Unwin p. 158
2005	Pterodactyloidea Osi et al.
2006	Pterodactyloidea Andres and Ji p. 70
2006	Dermodactylus montanus Chure et al. p. 236
2006	Pterodactyloidea Chure et al. p. 236
2006	Pterodactyloidea Wang and Zhou p. 406
2010	Pterodactyloidea Andres et al. fig. 7
2012	Pterodactyloidea Pereda-Suberbiola et al.
2013	Pterodactyloidea Martill et al.
2013	Pterodactyloidea Naish et al.
2013	Osteornis Rodrigues and Kellner

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data