New information on Lonchognathosaurus (Pterosauria: Dsungaripteridae) from the Lower Cretaceous of the southern Junggar Basin (NW China)

Abstract Lonchognathosaurus is a poorly known dsungaripterid pterosaur based on a partial skull from the Lower Cretaceous Lianmuxin Formation of the southern Junggar Basin. In 2001, several postcranial elements were recovered close to the holotype skull of Lonchognathosaurus that are referable to the same individual as the holotype material. They comprise a distal carpal, a fourth metacarpal, a partial first phalanx of the wing finger and the complete second phalanx of the wing finger. The postcranial material resembles that of other dsungaripterids but also exhibits numerous differences, mostly concerning the morphology of the distal carpal, the proximal articular surface of the fourth metacarpal and the proximal articular surface of the first wing phalanx. Moreover, Lonchognathosaurus differs from all other dsungaripterids in its wing proportions, being the only dsungaripterid known so far with a shorter metacarpal IV than second wing phalanx. This last character represents an additional autapomorphy of Lonchognathosaurus and confirms the validity of the genus.