Seazzadactylus venierigen. et sp. nov., a new pterosaur (Diapsida: Pterosauria) from the Upper Triassic (Norian) of northeastern Italy

Abstract

A new non-monofenestratan pterosaur with multicusped dentition,Seazzadactylus venieri, is described from the Upper Triassic (middle-upper Norian) of the Carnian Prealps (northeastern Italy). The holotype ofS. venieripreserves a complete mandibular and maxillary dentition, along with a nearly complete premaxillary one, showing unique features. Furthermore, the arrangement of the premaxillary teeth and the shape of jugal, pterygoid, ectopterygoid, scapula and pteroid are unique within non-monofenestratan pterosaurs.S. venieriis similar and closely related toCarniadactylus rosenfeldiandAustriadraco dallavecchiai, which are also from the Alpine middle-upper Norian of Italy and Austria, respectively. In a parsimony-based phylogenetic analysis,S. venieriis found to nest within a clade of Triassic pterosaurs composed ofArcticodactylus cromptonellus,Austriadraco dallavecchiai, Carniadactylus rosenfeldiand a trichotomy ofRaeticodactylus filisurensis,Caviramus schesaplanensisand MCSNB 8950. This unnamed clade is basal within the Pterosauria, but is not the basalmost clade.Eudimorphodon ranziilies outside this clade and is more derived, making the Eudimorphodontidae paraphyletic.S. venieriincreases the diversity of Triassic pterosaurs and brings the number of pterosaur genera and species in the Dolomia di Forni Formation to four.