A new ornithocheiran pterosaur from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Saratov, Russia.

Abstract

Saratovia glickmani, gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a dentary symphysis fragment from the Upper Cretaceous (upper Cenomanian) Melovatka Formation at Saratov, Russia. This specimen was found by L.S. Glickman in late 1940s and was referred previously to Ornithocheirus, Anhanguera, or Coloborhynchus. S. glickmani is attributed to Targaryendraconia because of strongly scalloped and subparallel lateral margins of dentary symphysis, which is transversely narrow, with the interalveolar width subequal to the alveolar width. It differs from all known targaryendraconians by having a dentary crest. The new taxon differs from all toothed pterodactyloids by lack of median groove on dentary symphysis. Instead, it has a raised flat platform pierced by numerous relatively large nutrient foramina, which are connected by short canals with a median canal within this platform. S. glickmani is one of the latest toothed pterosaurs known in the fossil record.