A new partial pterosaur from Scotland: Ceoptera evansae – and a Palaeocast interview with lead author E Martin-Silverstone

From the video caption
“Joining us this episode on the other side of the microphone is one of Palaeocast’s own team members, Dr Liz Martin Silverstone, a Technical Specialist at the University of Bristol who has recently described Ceoptera evansae, a darwinopteran pterosaur from the Isle of Skye. Together, we explore the new specimen, how it fits in to the group, and the insights it can give us in to pterosaur evolution.”

The YouTube video is linked below.

Figure 1. Ceoptera is known from the bones shown here and imagined by paleo-artist, Mark Witton below. ” data-image-caption=”

Figure 1. Ceoptera is known from the bones shown here and imagined by paleo-artist, Mark Witton below.

” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/ceoptera_evansae588.jpg?w=163″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/ceoptera_evansae588.jpg?w=558″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/ceoptera_evansae588.jpg?w=558″ alt=”Figure 1. Ceoptera is known from the bones shown here and imagined by paleo-artist, Mark Witton below.” class=”wp-image-84143″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/ceoptera_evansae588.jpg?w=558 558w, https://pterosaurheresies.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/ceoptera_evansae588.jpg?w=82 82w, https://pterosaurheresies.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/ceoptera_evansae588.jpg?w=163 163w, https://pterosaurheresies.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/ceoptera_evansae588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 558px) 100vw, 558px” />

My reply to the Ceoptera PDF and YouTube interview:
“I see in the PDF that Euparkeria and Herrerasaurus are pterosaur outgroups in the present phylogenetic analysis. These are cherry-picked guesses and ridiculously wrong. We’ve known for over two decades that pterosaurs arose from small occasional bipedal lepidosaurs, like Cosesaurus and its relatives Longisquama and Sharovipteryx. These were identical to pterosaurs – but lacked long wing fingers – exactly what one should expect, convergent with bird origins.

Moreover taxon exclusion has adversely affected the rest of the cladogram, creating interrelationships that are untenable and already falsified – but repairable when more taxa are added. For instance, the pterodactyloid grade was achieved five times, not just once, in pterosaur evolution. Darwinopterids are one of those five, but they had only one genus (so far), that made it past the Jurassic.

Kryptodrakon is known from lots of little parts. When reassembled a different way it is identical to Sericipterus, a large, gracile dorygnathid from the same formation. Details by Googling, “New basal pterodactyloid(?) Kryptodrakon = Sericipterus, a dorygnathid”

The illustration above (Fig 1) promotes a long-standing myth that pterosaur wing membranes attached to the ankles. No fossil with soft tissue preserves such a Bauplan, which remains in the realm of tradition and imagination. Pterosaur wing membranes always had a narrow chord stretched between the elbow and wing tip with a short fuselage fillet between the elbow and knee. With that design pterosaur wings were able to complete fold up, like birds fold their wings completely.

The quad-launch technique (Fig 1) is a more recent myth that has achieved widespread acceptance. In his first paper, the inexperienced author cheated pterosaur anatomy to achieve his preconceived hypothesis. Pterosaurs were able to leap and flap into the air like birds. Details can be seen and read and are cited by Googling, “Why we think giant pterosaurs could fly” (…NOT!)”

PS Always nice to see a new pterosaur specimen. The rest of the paper looks like the material was handled in a professional manner.”

References
Martin-Silverstone E et al. (5 co-authors) 2024. A new pterosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Skye, Scotland. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Article: e2298741

wiki/Ceoptera