Re: Quetzalcoatlus

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/1/00 8:31:18 AM EST, cbrochu@fmnh.org writes:

<< Kellner, A.W.A., and W. Langston.  1996.  Cranial remains of Quetzalcoatlus
 (Pterosauria, Azhdarchidae) from late Cretaceous sediments of Big Bend 
National
 Park, Texas.  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 1996, 16(2): 222-231 >>

Slight problem with this paper is that it describes Quetzalcoatlus sp., not 
the type species Q. northropi named by Lawson in 1975, so it doesn't formally 
describe the genus. This is the kind of publication I had in mind when I 
mentioned that the name  Quetzalcoatlus has been widely adopted even though 
not formally described. I believe there is still only one known specimen of 
Q. northropi (from an individual about twice the size of the ones noted by 
Kellner & Langston), which would have to be the type specimen. Maybe 
Wellnhofer's description in the 1978 Pterosauria part (#19) of the Handbuch 
der Palaeoherpetologie qualifies; at least he describes the holotype as a 
holotype of the species Q. northropi, which, being the only named species of 
the genus at the time, makes it the type species by monotypy.