Arthurdactylus

[david peters <davidrpeters@earthlink.net>]

We may have a head for headless Arthurdactylus. 

Veldimeijer's paper on (bodyless) Brasileodactylus indicates that of the few 
existing body parts both preserve, a few restrictive synapomorphies exist 
(i.e.: manual 4.1 is shorter than the metacarpus + carpus + ulna). And I see 
many similarities between Brasileodactylus, Liaoningopterus and Ludodactylus 
(skulls or parts thereof). We may have a clade. And if so, maybe one of these 
can provide the long sought head for Arthurdactylus.

Any other thoughts on this?  (Haven't seen most of the ptero volume, but still 
working on it.) Looks like cranial crests are primitive for ornithocheirids. 
Derived forms appear to lose them. Hmm...

David Peters
St. Louis