Chaoyangopteridae

The Chaoyangopteridae are a family of pterosaurs within the Azhdarchoidea.

Chaoyangopterids Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 125–120 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ Possible Late Cretaceous record[1]
Holotype specimen of Jidapterus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Order:	†Pterosauria
Suborder:	†Pterodactyloidea
Clade:	†Neoazhdarchia
Family:	†Chaoyangopteridae Lü et al., 2008
Type species
†Chaoyangopterus zhangi Wang & Zhou, 2003
Genera
†Apatorhamphus? †Chaoyangopterus †Eoazhdarcho †Jidapterus †Lacusovagus †Shenzhoupterus †Microtuban?

The clade Chaoyangopteridae was first defined in 2008 by Lü Junchang and David Unwin as: "Chaoyangopterus, Shenzhoupterus, their most recent common ancestor and all taxa more closely related to this clade than to Tapejara, Tupuxuara or Quetzalcoatlus".[2] Based on neck and limb proportions, it has been suggested they occupied a similar ecological niche to that of azhdarchid pterosaurs,[3] though it is possible they were more specialised as several genera occur in Liaoning, while azhdarchids usually occur by one genus in a specific location. The Chaoyangopteridae are mostly known from Asia, though the possible member Lacusovagus occurs in South America[4] and there are possible fossil remains from Africa, including the possible member Apatorhamphus.[5] Microtuban may extend the clade's existence into the early Late Cretaceous.[6]

Chaoyangopterids are distinguished from other pterosaurs by several traits of the nasoantorbital fenestra, a large hole on the side of the snout formed by the assimilation of the nares (nostril holes) into the antorbital fenestra. In members of this family, the nasoantorbital fenestra is massive, with the rear edge extending as far back as the braincase and jaw joint. The front edge is formed by a rod of bone known as the premaxillary bar, which is unusually slender in members of this family.[2]

Like their azhdarchid relatives, chaoyangopterids were terrestrial predators.[6][7]