T272 - Exceedingly Rare 2.55'' Cretaceous Azhdarchid Pterosaur Dentary Bone KemKem

Scientific name: Unidentified Azhdarchid Pterosaur dentary bone. Alanqa saharica, Ibrahim et al. (2010) or Xericeps Martill et al., 2017

Location: Taouz, Errachidia Province, South Morocco

Geological Formation: Ifezouane Formation, Kem Kem Basin, Red Sandstone Beds

Age: Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian stage, (~96 Million Years)

Size (long): 6.5cm = 2.55 Inch

REF.: T272

DESCRIPTION:
This is one of the most unique and extraordinary specimens of our Pterosaurs collection. It is the partial dentary bone of a strange and little-known pterosaur species of the North African Cretaceous. This type of fossils are extremely rare.

Its morphology resembles very much that of the dentition rests published by Ibrahim et al. (2010), where a new genus and species of Pterosaur belonging to the Azhdarchidae family is described. It is Alanqa saharica (Holotype specimen FSAC-KK 26).

Two genus of Azhdarchid pterosaurs have been described from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian stage) of South Morocco. One of them, the genus Alanqa and the other the genus Xericeps.

This new species is only known by a few rests, mainly belonging to the mandibular symphysis. This new taxon is distinguished from other azhdarchids by a remarkably straight, elongate, lance-shaped mandibular symphysis that bears a pronounced dorsal eminence near the posterior end of its dorsal (occlusal) surface. (Ibrahim et al., A new pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Morocco. 2010).

It has some glued and filled (restored) fractures.

A New Pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchidae) fromthe Upper Cretaceous of Morocco

An unusual modification of the jaws in cf. Alanqa, a mid-Cretaceous azhdarchid pterosaur from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco