Thanatosdrakon

Thanatosdrakon
Temporal range: Upper ConiacianLower Santonian, ~89.6–86.3 Ma
Life restoration of T. amaru
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Order: Pterosauria
Suborder: Pterodactyloidea
Family: Azhdarchidae
Subfamily: Quetzalcoatlinae
Genus: Thanatosdrakon
Ortiz David et al., 2022
Species:
T. amaru
Binomial name
Thanatosdrakon amaru
Ortiz David et al., 2022

Thanatosdrakon (IPA: [θænətɒsdrɑːkɒn]) (meaning "dragon of death") is a genus of quetzalcoatline azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Upper Coniacian–Lower Santonian) Plottier Formation of the Neuquén Basin in western Argentina (Andes mountain range). The genus name is derived from the Greek words thanatos (=death) and drakon (=dragon), while the specific name is a Quechuan word meaning "flying serpent" and refers to the Incan deity Amaru. The type and only species is Thanatosdrakon amaru, known from two specimens consisting of several well-preserved axial and appendicular bones including material previously undescribed in giant azhdarchids (e.g. complete notarium, dorsosacral vertebrae and caudal vertebra). Thanatosdrakon is one of the oldest known members of the Quetzalcoatlinae.[1][2] T. amaru lived from about 90 to 86 million years ago.[1]

  1. ^ a b Ortiz David, Leonardo D.; González Riga, Bernardo J.; Kellner, Alexander W. A. (12 April 2022). "Thanatosdrakon amaru, gen. ET SP. NOV., a giant azhdarchid pterosaur from the upper Cretaceous of Argentina". Cretaceous Research. 135: 105228. Bibcode:2022CrRes.13705228O. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105228. S2CID 248140163. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Paleontologists uncover 'dragon of death' in Argentina. It's the largest pterosaur ever found in South America". ZME Science. 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2022-05-26.