Open Paleo

Pteropelyx

Cope, 1889 teh-ROP-uh-liks Nomen dubium

From Greek pteron (wing) and pelyx (pelvis); meaning "winged pelvis".

83.6–72.2 million years ago Campanian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Pteropelyx is a dubious genus of Late Cretaceous hadrosaurid dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana, named by Edward Drinker Cope in 1889. Historically, several species were assigned to it, all based on extremely fragmentary remains, but there is no evidence to support these assignments, making the type species, P. grallipes, the only valid species. Most of these other species' remains likely belong to better-known hadrosaurs, such as Lambeosaurus and Gryposaurus. It is probable that the type material of Pteropelyx, a skeleton lacking a skull, is from Corythosaurus (making Pteropelyx its senior synonym) (Brett-Surman, 1989), but the lack of a skull makes such a synonymy impossible to determine with sure certainty as no certain evidence pertain to prove the organ to be present.

Under dispute

Pteropelyx is a nomen dubium based on a postcranial holotype lacking a skull; it has been suggested to be referable to Corythosaurus but cannot be confirmed.

Species

Pteropelyx grallipes Cope, 1889 Nomen dubium

Type species

From Latin 'grallae' meaning 'stilts' and 'pes' meaning 'foot', likely referring to the long-legged proportions of the animal.

Holotype
AMNH 3971 , American Museum of Natural History
Material
Greater part of skeleton; right half of pelvis nearly completely preserved; long bones solid.
Notes
Cope (1889) gives no number. Lull and Wright (1942) give the holotype as AMNH 3971, as does Brett-Surman's (1989) specimen table; his text's "AMNH 3791" transposes the digits.
Horizon
Judith River Formation, Campanian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–72.2 million years ago
Locality
Cow Island, Montana, United States

References

  1. Lull, R. S.; Wright, N. E. (1942). Hadrosaurian Dinosaurs of North America. Geological Society of America Special Papers 40: 1-272. Geological Society of America. doi:10.1130/spe40-p1

    Gives the holotype as "No. 3971 A.M.N.H. Greater part of skeleton, without skull or teeth".

    lull1942a
  2. Cope, E. D. (1889). Notes on the Dinosauria of the Laramie. The American Naturalist 23: 904-906. cope1889a
  3. Brett-Surman, M. K. (1989). A revision of the Hadrosauridae (Reptilia: Ornithischia) and their evolution during the Campanian and Maastrichtian. 1-272. Doctoral thesis, The George Washington University.

    Suggested the Pteropelyx type material is from Corythosaurus, making Pteropelyx a senior synonym.

    brett-surman1989a
  4. Horner, J. R.; Weishampel, D. B.; Forster, C. A. (2004). Hadrosauridae. The Dinosauria, Second Edition (Weishampel, D. B.; Dodson, P.; Osmólska, H., eds.) 438-463. University of California Press, Berkeley.

    Lists Pteropelyx grallipes among the hadrosaurid nomina dubia.

    horner2004a