Skip to main content

Predator-prey interaction of Brazilian Cretaceous toothed pterosaurs: a case example

  • Chapter
Predation in Organisms

13.1 Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of evidence of predator-prey relationships in pterosaurs, with a focus on the Cretaceous (Santana Formation) pterosaurs from Chapado do Araripe, northeastern Brazil. The examples from the fossil record of pterosaurs as prey is scanty; the situation of pterosaurs as predators is not much better. However, especially for pterosaurs as predator, secondary evidence provides much insight in the life of these extinct predators. Here, we present a simple geometric model that proves the suggested way of predations of the toothed and crested taxa of the Anhangueridae.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Altringham JD (1996) Bats. Biology and behaviour. Oxford, Oxford University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennet SC (2003) A survey of pathologies of large pterodactyloid pterosaurs. Palaeontology 46: 185–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buffetaut E, Martill DM, Escuillié F (2004) Pterosaurs as part of a spinosaur diet. Nature 430: 33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalla Vecchia FM, Muscia G, Wild R (1989) Pterosaur remains in a gastric pellet from the Upper Triassic (Norian) of Rio Seazza Valley (Udine, Italy). Gortania 10: 121–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Karman Von T (1929) The impact of seaplane floats during landing. NACA TN 321, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellner AWA (1994) Remarks on pterosaur taphonomy and paleoecology. Acta Geologica Leopoldensia 39,1: 175–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellner AWA, Campos DA (2002) The function of the cranial crest and jaws of a unique pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil. Science 297: 389–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kellner AWA, Tomida Y (2000) Description of a new species of Anhangueridae (Pterodactyloidea) with comments on the pterosaur fauna from the Santana Formation (Aptian-Albian), northeastern Brazil. Tokyo, National Science Museum (National Science Museum Monographs 17)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tischlinger, H (1993) Überlegungen zur Lebensweise der Pterosaurier anhand eines verheilten Obrschenkelbruches bei Pterodactylus kochi (Wagner). Archaeopteryx 11: 63–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Unwin, DM (2001) An overview of the pterosaur assemblage from the Cambridge Geensand (Cretaceous) of eastern England. Mitteilungen Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Geowissenchaftliche Reihe 4: 189–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Unwin DM (2005) The pterosaurs from deep time. New York, PIPress

    Google Scholar 

  • Veldmeijer AJ (2003) Description of Coloborhynchus spielbergi sp. nov. (Pterodactyloidea) from the Albian (Lower Cretaceous) of Brazil. Scripta Geologica 125: 35–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Veldmeijer AJ (2006) Toothed pterosaurs from the Santana Formation (Cretaceous; Aptian-Albian) of northeastern Brazil. A reappraisal on the basis of newly described material. PhD Thesis University of Utrecht, The Netherlands (http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2006-0201-200610/UUindex.html)

    Google Scholar 

  • Veldmeijer AJ, Signore M, Meijer HJM (2005) Brasileodactylus (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea, Anhangueridae); an update. Cranium 22,1: 45–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Veldmeijer AJ, Signore M, Meijer HJM. (2006). Description of two pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea) mandibles from the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation, Brazil. Deinsea 11: 67–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veldmeijer AJ, Meijer HJM & Signore M (2006) Coloborhynchus from the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation, Brazil (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea, Anhangueridae); an update. PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 3,2: 15–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P (1970) Die Pterodactyloidea (Pterosauria) der Oberjura-Plattenkalke Süddeutschlands. Munich, Verlag der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, Abhandlungen, Neue Folge 141)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P (1978) Handbuch der Paläoherpetologie. Teil 19. Pterosauria. Stuttgart/New York, Gustav Fischer Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P (1985) Neue Pterosaurier aus der Santana-Formation (Apt.) der Chapada do Araripe, Brasilien. Palaeontographica A 187: 105–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P (1987) New crested pterosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil. Mitteilungen der Bayerische Staatsammlung für Paläontologie und historische Geologie 27: 175–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P (1991a) The illustrated encyclopedia of pterosaurs. New York, Crescent Books

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P (1991b) Weitere Pterosaurierfunde aus der Santana-Formation (Apt) der Chapada do Araripe, Brasilien. Palaeontographica A 215: 43–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellnhofer P, Kellner AWA (1991) The skull of Tapejara wellnhoferi Kellner (Reptilia, Pterosauria) from the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation of the Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. Mitteilungen der Bayerische Staatsammlung für Paläontologie und historische Geologie 31: 89–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Witmer LM, Chatterjee S, Franzosa J, Rowe T. (2003) Neuroanatomy of flying reptiles and implications for flight, posture and behavious. Nature 425: 950–953

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Veldmeijer, A.J., Signore, M., Bucci, E. (2007). Predator-prey interaction of Brazilian Cretaceous toothed pterosaurs: a case example. In: Elewa, A.M.T. (eds) Predation in Organisms. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-46046-6_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics