Concept

Ferrodraco

Résumé
Ferrodraco ("Iron Dragon" after the ironstone the fossil was found in) is an extinct genus of anhanguerid pterosaur known from the Late Cretaceous Winton Formation of Queensland, Australia, containing the single species F. lentoni. The species was named after the former mayor of Winton, Graham Thomas ‘Butch’ Lenton. It is the most complete pterosaur fossil from Australia, being known from the holotype specimen AODF 876, consisting primarily of the anterior portion of the skull and dentary, cervical vertebral centra and a partial wing. Its wingspan was estimated to be about . Ferrodraco was found to have been within the subfamily Ornithocheirinae, as sister taxon to Mythunga. A recent study also recovered Ferrodraco as sister taxon to Mythunga, but both placed within the family Anhangueridae, more specifically within the subfamily Tropeognathinae. Ferrodraco is also the latest surviving member of Anhangueria. The holotype specimen was initially discovered in April 2017 when cattle farmer Robert A. Elliott was spraying herbicide near Belmont Station. It was excavated by a team led by Adele H. Pentland. Nicknamed 'Butch', it was further prepared by volunteer Ali Calvey. In 2019, the type species Ferrodraco lentoni was named and described by Adele H. Pentland, Stephen Francis Poropat, Travis R. Tischler, Trish Sloan, Robert A. Elliott, Harry A. Elliott, Judy A. Elliott and David A. Elliott. It was subsequently X-ray CT scanned at high-resolution using the Imaging and Medical Beamline at the Australian Synchrotron and osteology described in detail. The generic name is derived from the Latin ferrum, "iron", and draco, "dragon", in reference to the fact that the skeleton was found in ironstone. The specific name honors the late mayor of Winton Shire, Graham Thomas ‘Butch’ Lenton, for his work for the local community and his support for the Australian Age of Dinosaurs. He died in 2017. The holotype, AODF 876, was found in a layer of the Winton Formation dating from the Cenomanian - lower Turonian, about ninety-six million years old.
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