View source for Vectidraco

{{Short description|Genus of azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = [[Early Cretaceous]], {{fossilrange|124}}
| image = Vectidraco.png
| image_caption = Holotype NHMUK PV R36621
| taxon = Vectidraco
| authority = Naish ''et al.'', [[2013 in paleontology|2013]]
| type_species = {{extinct}}'''''Vectidraco daisymorrisae'''''
| type_species_authority = Naish ''et al.'', 2013
}}

'''''Vectidraco''''' (meaning "dragon from the [[Isle of Wight]]"), is a [[genus]] of [[azhdarchoid]] [[pterosaur]] from the [[Lower Cretaceous]] of [[England]].

==Discovery and naming==
In November 2008, Daisy Morris of [[Whitwell, Isle of Wight|Whitwell]], [[Isle of Wight]], a four-year-old avid natural history collector, discovered some small bones in a rock below the cliff face of [[Atherfield|Atherfield Point]] at the southwest coast of Wight. Her parents carefully collected all additional rocks with fossils in them that they could find at the site.<ref name=bbc200313 /> In April 2009, Daisy's discovery was authenticated by [[palaeontologist]] [[Martin I. Simpson|Martin Simpson]], from the [[University of Southampton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2013/03/20/schoolgirl-daisy-morris-discovers-flying-dinosaur-fossil-on-isle-of-wight-beach-3550644/|title=Schoolgirl discovers fossil of flying dinosaur on beach|date=March 20, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Vremir2013">{{Cite journal | last1 = Naish | first1 = D. | last2 = Simpson | first2 = M. | last3 = Dyke | first3 = G. | editor1-last = Farke | editor1-first = Andrew A | title = A New Small-Bodied Azhdarchoid Pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of England and Its Implications for Pterosaur Anatomy, Diversity and Phylogeny | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0058451 | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 8 | issue = 3 | article-number = e58451 | year = 2013 | pmid =  23526986| pmc = 3601094| bibcode = 2013PLoSO...858451N | doi-access = free }}</ref> The Morris family donated the specimen to the [[Natural History Museum, London|Natural History Museum]].
[[File:Vectidraco daisymorrisae.png|thumb|left|Restoration showing the position of the known remains]]
A scientific paper was published in 2013 about the find in the [[electronic journal]] [[PLoS ONE]], titled ''A New Small-Bodied Azhdarchoid Pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of England and Its Implications for Pterosaur Anatomy, Diversity and Phylogeny''. In it [[Darren Naish]], Martin Simpson, and [[Gareth Dyke]] described and named the [[type species]] ''Vectidraco daisymorrisae''. The generic name is derived from the [[Latin language|Latin]] ''Vectis'', the Roman name of the island now known as the Isle of Wight, and ''dracō'', meaning "dragon". The [[specific name (zoology)|specific name]] honours the discoverer Daisy Morris.<ref name="Vremir2013" /><ref name=bbc200313>{{cite news|title=Isle of Wight girl Daisy Morris has flying prehistoric beast named after her|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-21850080|access-date=22 March 2013|newspaper=BBC News|date=20 March 2013}}</ref> A children's book has also been written by Simpson about Daisy Morris's discovery, called ''Daisy and the Isle of Wight Dragon''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/21/dinosaur-discovery-girl-daisy-morris_n_2923191.html|title=Dinosaur Discovery Girl, Daisy Morris, A 'Fascinating And Unique Girl'|website=Huffington Post UK|date=21 March 2013}}</ref>

The only known specimen, [[holotype]] '''NHMUK PV R36621''', was uncovered in the [[Chale Clay Member]] of the [[Atherfield Clay Formation]] of the [[Lower Greensand Group]], a clay layer of the ''Deshayesites forbesi'' zone, ''Deshayesites fittoni'' subzone, dating from the early [[Aptian]], with an age of 124 million years. It consists of the left side of a [[pelvis]], the right [[ischium]], the rear dorsal vertebra and the first three sacral [[vertebrae]], of a subadult or adult individual.<ref name="Vremir2013" />

==Description==
[[File:Vectidraco pelvis de.png|thumb|Drawing of the pelvis]]
''Vectidraco'' is a relatively small pterosaur. The pelvis is four centimetres long as preserved. ''Vectidraco'''s [[wingspan]] was estimated at seventy-five centimetres, its total body length at thirty-five centimetres. In view of its affinities, the describing authors assumed it was a toothless form, featuring a crest on its snout.<ref name="Vremir2013" />

Several unique derived traits, [[autapomorphies]], were established. The hip joint is bordered at its top rear corner by a triangular depression. This depression is overhung by a ridge running downwards to the rear. The front blade of the [[Ilium (bone)|ilium]] features an undivided roughly oval depression at its front inner side, below a convex surface. Furthermore, a unique combination of traits is present in that the elongated rear blade of the ilium is T-shaped, terminating in a wide expansion also projecting upwards, that is longer than the shaft of the rear blade itself.<ref name="Vremir2013" />

Damage to the ilium shows the presence of camellate bone, internal air chambers. Also all the preserved vertebrae are pneumatised.<ref name="Vremir2013" />

==Classification==
''Vectidraco'' was assigned to the [[Azhdarchoidea]], in a basal position. If correct, this would make it one of the smallest azhdarchoids known.<ref name="Vremir2013" /> In 2018, a study found ''Vectidraco'' in a more derived position within the Azhdarchoidea, more specifically as the sister taxon of both ''[[Tapejara wellnhoferi|Tapejara]]'' and ''[[Europejara]]'' within the family [[Tapejaridae]].<ref>{{Cite journal|vauthors=Longrich NR, Martill DM, Andres B|date=March 2018|title=Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary|journal=PLOS Biology|volume=16|issue=3|article-number=e2001663|doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.2001663|pmc=5849296|pmid=29534059 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In 2020, in a phylogenetic analysis conducted by David Martill and colleagues, ''Vectidraco'' was once again found within the Tapejaridae.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Martill |first=David M. |last2=Green |first2=Mick |last3=Smith |first3=Roy E. |last4=Jacobs |first4=Megan L. |last5=Winch |first5=John |date=2020-09-01 |title=First tapejarid pterosaur from the Wessex Formation (Wealden Group: Lower Cretaceous, Barremian) of the United Kingdom |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667120301737 |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=113 |article-number=104487 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104487 |issn=0195-6671|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Their analysis follows that of Longrich and colleagues, in which the Tapejaridae was divided into two lineages: the [[Tapejarinae]] and the [[Sinopterinae]]. ''Vectidraco'', just like in the analysis by Longrich and colleagues, was recovered as the sister taxon of both ''Tapejara'' and ''Europejara'', within the subfamily Tapejarinae. Their cladogram is shown below:

{{clade| style=font-size:100%;line-height:100%
|label1=[[Tapejaromorpha]]
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Bennettazhia oregonensis]]''
|label2=[[Tapejaridae]]
|2={{clade
|label1=[[Tapejarinae]]
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Tapejara wellnhoferi]]''
|2=''[[Europejara olcadesorum]]''
|3='''''Vectidraco daisymorrisae'''''
}}
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Caiuajara dobruskii]]''
|2=''[[Tupandactylus navigans]]''
|3=''[[Tupandactylus imperator]]''
}}
}}
|label2=[[Sinopterinae]]
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Bakonydraco galaczi]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Huaxiapterus benxiensis|"Huaxiapterus" benxiensis]]''
|2=''[[Huaxiapterus corollatus|"Huaxiapterus" corollatus]]''
}}
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Eopteranodon lii]]''
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Huaxiapterus jii]]''
|2=''[[Sinopterus dongi]]''
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}

==See also==
* [[List of pterosaur genera]]
* [[Timeline of pterosaur research]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Pterosauria|Az.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7731746}}
{{Portal bar|Paleontology|United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Tapejaromorphs]]
[[Category:Aptian life]]
[[Category:Early Cretaceous pterosaurs of Europe]]
[[Category:Cretaceous England]]
[[Category:Fossils of England]]
[[Category:Fossil taxa described in 2013]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Darren Naish]]
[[Category:Pterosaur genera]]