Leptostomia

Leptostomia
Temporal range: Cenomanian
Life restoration
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: Pterosauria
Suborder: Pterodactyloidea
Clade: Ornithocheiroidea
Clade: Azhdarchoidea (?)
Genus: Leptostomia
Smith et al., 2021
Type species
Leptostomia begaaensis
Smith et al., 2021

Leptostomia is a genus of long-beaked pterosaur from the mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Morocco, North Africa. The type species is L. begaaensis, which was named and described in 2021 from sediments of the Kem Kem Group in Morocco.[1] It was a small animal with a long, slender bill which is thought to have been used to probe sediments for worms and other invertebrates, similar to kiwi birds and curlews. Leptostomia is likely a member of the Azhdarchoidea.

  1. ^ Smith, R.E.; Martill, D.M.; Kao, A.; Zouhri, S.; Longrich, N.R. (2020). "A long-billed, possible probe-feeding pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: ?Azhdarchoidea) from the mid-Cretaceous of Morocco, North Africa". Cretaceous Research. 118: Article 104643. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104643. S2CID 225201538.