Rethinking giant ‘Dracula’ LPB R-2347 as a Q-sized Azhdarcho

The largest pterosaur model in the world, nicknamed ‘Dracula’
is built on relatively few disassociated parts Fig. 1). The rest is imagined.

Even so,
this chimaera may be close to the real deal, perhaps slightly smaller and more gracile (Fig. 2) than the model-builders imagined (Fig. 1). If ‘Dracula’ was indeed a giant (or full grown) Azhdarcho (as  indicated here by matching bits and pieces, Fig. 2), then the skull should have been sculpted with less bone, the stance more erect, the femur shorter, the sternal complex smaller and the distal wing phalanges smaller. With denser bones and shorter wings than volant pterosaurs, ‘Dracula’ would have been flightless, like other azhdarchids with similarly clipped (still imaginary, but compared to Fig. 2) wings.

Earlier we looked at the cervical #7 of ‘Dracula’.
Here we add the re-identified rostrum (Figs. 2, 3 with a central set of narrow vomers), originally described as a mandible portion. Granted, there is not much to work with here, but everything scales correctly and fits the Azhdarcho pattern. Other suggestions are welcome, by the way.

Earlier we looked at the purported mandible of LPB R 2347
which was originally imagined as the largest pterosaur ‘mandible‘ (Fig. 3). The authors compared their jaw segment to the mandible of Bakonydraco (Fig. 3). As shown in figure 2, the Romanian fragment is more likely a rostrum belonging to an adult or giant Azhdarcho. 

Bakonydraco
nests with volant basal pteranodontids in the LPT. 

Eurazhdarcho
is a coeval mid-sized azhdarchid known from some wing phalanges and three anterior neck cervicals. 

References
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