Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2001663
• Publication Date: 2018-03-13T17:23:58Z
• Authors: Nicholas R. Longrich; David M. Martill; Brian Andres
• Keywords: Paleogene; Extinction (optical mineralogy); Assemblage (archaeology)

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight and largest animals ever take wing. The pterosaurs persisted for over 150 million years before disappearing at end of Cretaceous, but patterns processes driving their extinction remain unclear. Only a single family, Azhdarchidae, is definitively known from late Maastrichtian, suggesting gradual decline in diversity Late with Cretaceous–Paleogene (K-Pg) eliminating few late-surviving species. However, this apparent pattern may simply reflect poor sampling fossils. Here, we describe diverse pterosaur assemblage Maastrichtian Morocco that includes not only Azhdarchidae youngest Pteranodontidae Nyctosauridae. With 3 families least 7 species present, represents most Cretaceous dramatically increases pterosaurs. At families—Pteranodontidae, Nyctosauridae, Azhdarchidae—persisted into Maastrichtian. show increased niche occupation relative earlier, Santonian-Campanian faunas successfully outcompeted birds large sizes. These suggest an abrupt mass K-Pg boundary.