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Zhenyuanopterus Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 124.6 Ma |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | †Pterosauria |
| Suborder: | †Pterodactyloidea |
| Family: | †Boreopteridae |
| Genus: |
†Zhenyuanopterus Lü, 2010 |
| Species: | †Z. longirostris |
| Binomial name | |
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Zhenyuanopterus longirostris Lü, 2010 |
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Zhenyuanopterus is a genus of pterosaur which is known from Lower Cretaceous (early Aptian) Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China.
It has been suggested that Zhenyuanopterus foraged while swimming, trapping prey within its needle-like teeth, a method similar to that of modern Platanista river dolphins, which display a similar dentition.
It has been often suggested that this animal is actually the adult of its close relative Boreopterus, which is known to be a juvenile.