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Pelagornis sandersi

Osteichthyes - Odontopterygiformes - Pelagornithidae

Taxonomy
Pelagornis sandersi was named by Ksepka (2014). Its type specimen is ChM PV4768, a partial skeleton (cranium and right mandibular ramus, partial furcula, right scapula, right humerus lacking distal end, proximal and distal ends of the right radius, frag- ments ), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Charleston International Airport, which is in a Chattian coastal horizon in the Chandler Bridge Formation of South Carolina.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2014Pelagornis sandersi Ksepka
2015Pelagornis sandersi Cenizo et al. p. 10 figs. Figure 7

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
—Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
RankNameAuthor
—Crocopoda
—ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
—Eucrocopoda
—Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
—Ornithodira
—Dinosauromorpha
—Dinosauriformes
—Dinosauria()
—Saurischia()
—Theropoda()
—Neotheropoda
—AverostraPaul 2002
—Tetanurae
—Coelurosauria()
—Maniraptora
—Paraves
classAves
orderOdontopterygiformesHoward 1957
familyPelagornithidaeFürbringer 1888
genusPelagornisLartet 1857
speciessandersi

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Pelagornis sandersi Ksepka 2014
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
D. T. Ksepka 2014P. sandersi exhibits diagnostic characteristics of Pela- gornis (10), including rostrum with transverse furrow, tricipital fossa situated on the ventral surface of humerus, and tibiotarsus with medial condyle markedly more anteriorly projected than lateral condyle. P. sandersi can be differentiated from other species of Pelagornis by the slender caudal portion of the man- dible [deep and squared in Pelagornis chilensis and Pelagornis (Pseudodontornis) longirostris], the more elongate beak, a larger number of mandibular pseudoteeth (31 vs. 20 in P. chilensis), and larger size. P. sandersi can further be differentiated from Pela- gornis (Osteodontornis) orri by the presence of two (vs. six) small intervening pseudoteeth between the first two large pseudoteeth in the rostral portion of the upper jaw. It can be differentiated from Pelagornis mauretanicus by the larger size of the caudalmost set of mandibular pseudoteeth, Pelagornis stirtoni by the markedly more robust femur, and Pelagornis (Paleochenoides) mioceanus by lack of a deep sulcus on the fibular trochlea of the femur. SI Appendix has additional comparisons.