Carniadactylus, a New Name for the Triassic Basal Pterosaur Eudimorphodon rosenfeldi from Italy

Dalla Vecchia, F.M. 2009. Anatomy and Systematics of the Pterosaur Carniadactylus gen. n. rosenfeldi (Dalla Vecchia, 1995). Rivista Italiana de Paleontologia e Stratigrafia 115:159-188.

Abstract - The holotype specimen of the non-pterodactyloid pterosaur Eudimorpodon rosenfeldi from the Late Triassic of NE Italy is described in detail and compared to other specimens referred in the literature to the genus Eudimorphodon. It is considered conspecific with the specimen MPUM 6009 from the Norian of NW Italy, previously attributed to Eudimorphodon ranzii. A new genus, Carniadactylus, is proposed for the two specimens based on the apomorphic shape of the 'coranoid' process, coracoid and pteroid, wing phalanx proportions and the several anatomical differences with E. ranzii and 'Eudimorphodon' cromptonellus. No definitive evidence of a juvenile stage occurs in the two specimens. A phylogenetic analysis using parsimony shows that Carniadactylus is nested inside the Campylognathoididae and is the sister-group of Caviramus schesaplanensis + 'Raeticodacylus' filisurensis. The systematics of specimens referred in the literature to Eudimorphodon is reviewed.