Ctenochasma elegans
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Ctenochasma Temporal range: Late Jurassic to ?Cretaceous150–145 Ma |
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| Fossil specimen of a juvenile C. elegans | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Family: | †Ctenochasmatidae |
| Subfamily: | †Ctenochasmatinae |
| Genus: |
†Ctenochasma Meyer, 1852 |
| Type species | |
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†Ctenochasma roemeri Meyer, 1852 |
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| Species | |
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†C. roemeri |
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| Synonyms | |
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Ptenodracon |
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†C. roemeri
Meyer, 1852
†C. elegans
(Wagner, 1861) [originally Pterodactylus]
†C. taqueti
Bennett, 2007
Ptenodracon
Lydekker, 1888
Ctenochasma (meaning 'comb jaw') is a genus of Late Jurassic pterosaur belonging to the suborder Pterodactyloidea. Three species are currently recognized: C. roemeri (named after Friedrich Adolph Roemer), C. taqueti, and C. elegans. Their fossilized remains have been found in the Solnhofen Limestone of Bavaria, Germany, the "Purbeck Group" of northeastern Germany, and the Calcaires tâchetés of eastern France.
Ctenochasma is distinguished mainly by its numerous (over 400 in adults) long, thin, curved and closely packed teeth, which lined its elongated and narrow snout. The teeth were so closely packed that they formed a comb, and in adults they projected outward away from the jaws, forming a basket; traditionally, these are thought to indicate a filter feeding lifestyle, straining water through the teeth in order to capture and eat small invertebrates, but unlike the related Pterodaustro it lacks adaptations that would form a pumping mechanism. Instead, the spetulate profile formed by the teeth probably indicate a spoonbill-like lifestyle, increasing the surface area of the jaws in order to catch small prey. The snout curved slightly upward and was rounded at the tip, and the teeth were restricted to the front half of the jaws.
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