PBDB Taxon

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Pteranodon

Reptilia - Pterosauria

Taxonomy

Pteranodon was named by Marsh (1876). It is the type genus of Pteranodontinae.

It was synonymized subjectively with Ornithostoma by Williston (1893).

It was assigned to Pteranodontia by Günther (1886); to Ornithocheirinae by Williston (1903); to Pteranodontinae by Hay (1930); to Ornithocheiridae by Harksen (1966), Charig (1967), Carroll (1988); to Pteranodontidae by Marsh (1876), Zittel (1890), Williston (1892), Hay (1902), Schoch (1984), Murry et al. (1991), Bennett (1994); to Pteranodontidae by Bennett (1989), Unwin (2003); to Pteranodontia by Headden and Campos (2014); to Pteranodontoidea by Vila Nova et al. (2014); and to Ornithocheiroidea by Andres et al. (2014).

Species

Ornithocheirus harpyia, Ornithocheirus umbrosus, P. (Longicepia), P. (Occidentalia), P. (Sternbergia), P. comptus, P. longiceps (syn. P. (Sternbergia) walkeri, P. (Longicepia) marshi), P. sternbergi (syn. P. (Occidentalia) eatoni), Pterodactylus ingens, Pterodactylus occidentalis (syn. Ornithochirus harpyia), Pterodactylus oweni, Pterodactylus velox

Synonyms

Pterodactylus oweni was named by Marsh (1871). Its type specimen is YPM 1160, a set of limb elements (Distal ends of two right wing metacarpals), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is north side, Smoky Hill River, 5 mi W Russell Springs, which is in a Santonian offshore shale in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas.

It was replaced with Pterodactylus occidentalis by Marsh (1872), Cope (1874); it was replaced with Pteranodon occidentalis by Williston (1892), Hay (1902); it was considered a nomen dubium by Miller (1971).
Pterodactylus velox was named by Marsh (1872). Its type specimen is YPM 1176, a set of limb elements (Distal end of metacarpal IV and proximal wing phalanx I), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is south side, Smoky Hill River, west of Russell Springs, which is in a Santonian offshore shale in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas.

It was recombined as Pteranodon velox by Marsh (1876), Williston (1892), Hay (1902), Williston (1903), Hay (1930), Schoch (1984); it was considered a nomen dubium by Miller (1971), Bennett (1994).
Pteranodon comptus was named by Marsh (1876). Its type specimen is YPM 2335, distal ends of right and left tibiae, a set of postcrania, and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Pteranodon comptus type, which is in a Santonian offshore horizon in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas.

It was synonymized subjectively with Nyctosaurus gracilis by Williston (1903); it was synonymized subjectively with Pteranodon velox by Schoch (1984); it was considered a nomen dubium by Miller (1971), Bennett (1994).
Pterodactylus ingens was named by Marsh (1872). Its type specimen is YPM 1170, a set of limb elements (Distal ends of radius and ulna, partial metacarpal IV, partial wing phalanx 1), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is north side, Smoky Hill River, 5 mi W Russell Springs, which is in a Santonian offshore shale in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas.

It was recombined as Pteranodon ingens by Marsh (1876), Marsh (1884), Williston (1892), Hay (1902), Williston (1903), Hay (1930), Schoch (1984); it was recombined as Ornithostoma ingens by Williston (1893); it was considered a nomen dubium by Miller (1971), Bennett (1994).
Pterodactylus occidentalis was named by Marsh (1872). Its type specimen is YPM 1160, 1161, a set of limb elements (Distal ends of two right wing metacarpals), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is north side, Smoky Hill River, 5 mi W Russell Springs, which is in a Santonian offshore shale in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas.

It was recombined as Pteranodon occidentalis by Marsh (1876), Marsh (1884), Williston (1892), Marsh (1897), Hay (1902), Williston (1903), Hay (1930), Swinton (1934), Schoch (1984); it was considered a nomen dubium by Miller (1971), Bennett (1994).
Ornithochirus harpyia was named by Cope (1872).

It was synonymized subjectively with Pterodactylus occidentalis by Marsh (1872), Cope (1874); it was synonymized subjectively with Pteranodon occidentalis by Hay (1902).
Ornithocheirus umbrosus was named by Cope (1872) [misspelled as "Ornithochirus"]. Its type specimen is AMNH 1571, a set of limb elements (Distal metacarpal IV and proximal wing phalanx 1), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Twin Butte Creek, which is in a Coniacian/Santonian offshore chalk in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas.

It was recombined as Pteranodon umbrosus by Williston (1892); it was considered a nomen dubium by Miller (1971), Bennett (1994).
Ornithocheirus harpyia was named by Cope (1872) [misspelled as "Ornithochirus"]. Its type specimen is AMNH 1572, a set of limb elements (Metacarpal IV and two partial phalanges), and it is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Twin Butte Creek, which is in a Santonian offshore chalk in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pteranodon occidentalis by Williston (1892); it was considered a nomen dubium by Miller (1971), Bennett (1994).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1871	Pterodactylus oweni Marsh
1872	Ornithochirus harpyia Cope
1872	Ornithocheirus harpyia Cope p. 421
1872	Ornithocheirus umbrosus Cope p. 421
1872	Pterodactylus velox Marsh
1872	Pterodactylus ingens Marsh pp. 241-247
1872	Pterodactylus occidentalis Marsh pp. 241-247
1874	Pterodactylus ingens Cope p. 26
1874	Pterodactylus occidentalis Cope p. 26
1874	Pterodactylus velox Cope p. 26
1876	Pteranodon Marsh
1876	Pteranodon velox Marsh
1876	Pteranodon comptus Marsh p. 508
1876	Pteranodon ingens Marsh p. 508
1876	Pteranodon occidentalis Marsh p. 508
1884	Pteranodon occidentalis Marsh p. 423
1884	Pteranodon ingens Marsh p. 426
1886	Pteranodon Günther p. 444
1890	Pteranodon Zittel p. 799
1890	Pteranodon comptus Zittel p. 799
1892	Pteranodon ingens Williston p. 1
1892	Pteranodon occidentalis Williston p. 1
1892	Pteranodon comptus Williston p. 2
1892	Pteranodon umbrosus Williston p. 2
1892	Pteranodon velox Williston p. 2
1892	Pteranodon Williston p. 12
1893	Ornithostoma ingens Williston p. 79
1897	Pteranodon occidentalis Marsh p. 527
1902	Pteranodon Hay p. 507
1902	Pteranodon comptus Hay p. 507
1902	Pteranodon ingens Hay p. 508
1902	Pteranodon occidentalis Hay p. 508
1902	Pteranodon velox Hay p. 508
1903	Pteranodon ingens Williston
1903	Pteranodon occidentalis Williston
1903	Pteranodon velox Williston
1903	Pteranodon Williston p. 159
1930	Pteranodon Hay p. 162
1930	Pteranodon comptus Hay p. 162
1930	Pteranodon ingens Hay p. 163
1930	Pteranodon occidentalis Hay p. 163
1930	Pteranodon velox Hay p. 163
1934	Pteranodon occidentalis Swinton p. 21
1966	Pteranodon Harksen p. 76
1967	Pteranodon Charig p. 718
1984	Pteranodon Schoch
1984	Pteranodon ingens Schoch
1984	Pteranodon occidentalis Schoch
1984	Pteranodon velox Schoch
1988	Pteranodon Carroll
1989	Pteranodon Bennett
1991	Pteranodon Murry et al. p. 167
1994	Pteranodon Bennett p. 20
2003	Pteranodon Unwin p. 145
2014	Pteranodon Andres et al.
2014	Pteranodon Headden and Campos
2014	Pteranodon Vila Nova et al.

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota

Rank	Name	Author
—	Sauropsida
class	Reptilia
subclass	Eureptilia	()
—	Romeriida
—	Diapsida	()
—	Archosauromorpha	(Huene 1946)
—	Crocopoda
—	Archosauriformes	Gauthier 1986
—	Eucrocopoda
—	Archosauria	()
informal	Avemetatarsalia
—	Ornithodira
—	Pterosauromorpha	Padian 1997
order	Pterosauria	Kaup 1834
suborder	Pterodactyloidea	Plieninger 1901
—	Pteranodontia	()
genus	Pteranodon

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.

G. †Pteranodon Marsh 1876

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Subg. †Pteranodon (Longicepia) Miller 1971

Subg. †Pteranodon (Occidentalia) Miller 1971

Subg. †Pteranodon (Sternbergia) Miller 1971

†Pteranodon longiceps Marsh 1876

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Invalid names: Pteranodon (Longicepia) marshi Miller 1971 [synonym], Pteranodon (Sternbergia) walkeri Miller 1971 [synonym]

†Pteranodon sternbergi Harksen 1966

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Invalid names: Pteranodon (Occidentalia) eatoni Miller 1971 [synonym]

Invalid names: Ornithocheirus harpyia Cope 1872 [nomen dubium], Ornithocheirus umbrosus Cope 1872 [nomen dubium], Pteranodon comptus Marsh 1876 [nomen dubium], Pterodactylus ingens Marsh 1872 [nomen dubium], Pterodactylus occidentalis Marsh 1872 [nomen dubium], Pterodactylus oweni Marsh 1871 [nomen dubium], Pterodactylus velox Marsh 1872 [nomen dubium]

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

marineo

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

volantg

Diet:

piscivoreg

Created:

2009-01-05 17:19:48

Modified:

2009-01-05 19:19:48

Source: g = genus, o = order, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009, Gudger 1944, Padian 1985

Age range: base of the Santonian to the top of the Early/Lower Campanian or 85.70000 to 72.20000 Ma

Collections (37 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Coniacian - Santonian	89.8 - 83.6	USA (Kansas)	P. sp. (84698)
Late/Upper Coniacian - Early/Lower Santonian	89.8 - 83.6	USA (Kansas)	P. occidentalis (93384) P. sternbergi (93383)
Late/Upper Coniacian - Santonian	89.8 - 83.6	USA (Kansas)	Ornithocheirus umbrosus (93219)
Late/Upper Santonian	85.7 - 83.6	USA (Kansas)	P. longiceps, P. ingens (93387) P. sp. (85284 231925) Pterodactylus oweni (93218)
Santonian	85.7 - 83.6	USA (Kansas)	P. comptus (93233) P. ingens (188486) P. longiceps (84697 93234 93422) P. longiceps, Ornithocheirus harpyia (93225) P. sp. (93391 94652) P. walkeri (93386) Pterodactylus ingens (93221) Pterodactylus ingens, Pterodactylus oweni (93217) Pterodactylus ingens, Pterodactylus velox (93220)
Campanian	83.6 - 72.2	USA (Delaware)	Ornithocheiridae indet. (167538)
Early/Lower Campanian	83.6 - 72.2	USA (South Dakota)	P. longiceps (94635 94636 94637 94638 94639 94641 94643 94644 94645 94646 94647 94648)
Early/Lower Campanian	83.6 - 72.2	USA (Wyoming)	P. longiceps (94650)
Early/Lower Campanian	83.6 - 72.2	USA (Delaware)	Ornithocheiridae indet. (46565)
Early/Lower Campanian - Middle Campanian	83.6 - 72.2	USA (Wyoming)	P. longiceps (235710)
Middle Campanian	83.6 - 72.2	USA (South Dakota)	P. longiceps (94640)