# Sordes

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Genus of Late Jurassic pterosaur

Sordes Temporal range: Late Jurassic, 155.7 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Fossil specimen Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: †Pterosauria Clade: †Breviquartossa Genus: †Sordes Sharov, 1971 Type species †Sordes pilosus Sharov, 1971

***Sordes*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of small [pterosaur](/source/Pterosaur) from the late [Jurassic](/source/Jurassic) ([Oxfordian](/source/Oxfordian_(stage))/[Kimmeridgian](/source/Kimmeridgian)) [Karabastau Svita](/source/Karabastau_Svita) of [Kazakhstan](/source/Kazakhstan).

This genus was named in 1971 by [Aleksandr Grigorevich Sharov](/source/Aleksandr_Grigorevich_Sharov).[1] The [type species](/source/Type_species) is *Sordes pilosus*. The genus name is [Latin](/source/Latin) for "filth" or "scum"; but Sharov translates it as "*nechist*", which means "devil" or "evil spirit", so the intended translation is "hairy devil"[2] (the [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)) is Latin for "hairy"; despite *sordes* being feminine, it has not yet been emended to *pilosa*[*[original research?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research)*]).

## Discovery

*Sordes* is based on the [holotype](/source/Holotype) [PIN](/source/Paleontological_Institute_of_Russian_Academy_of_Sciences) 2585/3, which consists of a crushed relatively complete skeleton on a slab. It was found in the 1960s at the foothills of the [Karatau](/source/Karatau) in [Kazakhstan](/source/Kazakhstan).

Sharov had already referred a [paratype](/source/Paratype) or second specimen: [PIN](/source/Paleontological_Institute_of_Russian_Academy_of_Sciences) 2470/1, again a fairly complete skeleton on a slab. By 2003 another six specimens had been discovered.

## Description

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Skeletal reconstruction of the holotype PIN 2585/3

*Sordes* had a 0.63 m (2 ft) wingspan. The wings were relatively short. *Sordes* had, according to Sharov and Unwin, wing membranes attached to the legs and a membrane between the legs. It had a short neck. It had a long tail, accounting for over half its length, with at the end an elongated vane.

### Skull and dentition

Life restoration

It had a slender, not round, head with moderately long, pointed jaws. The skull was about 8 cm (3.2 in) long. Unlike many pterosaurs, it had no head crest. The teeth in the frontal half of the jaws are large and pointed to facilitate prey capture. The teeth beyond these in the rear half of the jaw are much smaller and more numerous than those at the front, suggesting that they were more for crushing. Together these two types of teeth indicate specialisation for prey that was difficult to catch yet required some effort to eat. Likely contenders are invertebrates with tougher exoskeletons, or amphibians that were slippery to catch and then required some crunching before they could be swallowed.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

### Pycnofibers

Holotype specimen

The [fossil](/source/Fossil) shows remains of the soft parts, such as membranes and hair-like filaments. This was the first unequivocal proof that pterosaurs had a layer of hair-like filaments covering their bodies, later named [pycnofibres](/source/Pycnofibres). The pycnofibres served as insulation, an indication the group was [warm-blooded](/source/Warm-blooded), and provided a streamlined flight profile. The pycnofibres are present in two main types: longer at the extreme part of the wing membrane and shorter near the body. In the 1990s, [David Unwin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Unwin&action=edit&redlink=1) argued that both types were essentially not hairs but reinforcing fibres of the flight membranes.[3] Later he emphasized that "hair" in the form of pycnofibres was indeed present on the body, after the find of new specimens clearly showing this.

## Classification

*Sordes* has been assigned to the family [Rhamphorhynchidae](/source/Rhamphorhynchidae). These were among the earliest of the pterosaurs, evolving in the late [Triassic](/source/Triassic) and surviving to the late Jurassic. According to Unwin, within Rhamphorhynchidae *Sordes* belonged to the [Scaphognathinae](/source/Scaphognathinae). Other researchers however, such as [Alexander Kellner](/source/Alexander_Kellner) and [Lü Junchang](/source/L%C3%BC_Junchang), have produced [cladistic](/source/Cladistic) analyses showing that *Sordes* was much more [basal](/source/Basal_(phylogenetics)), and not a rhamphorhynchid.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## See also

- [List of pterosaur genera](/source/List_of_pterosaur_genera)

- [Timeline of pterosaur research](/source/Timeline_of_pterosaur_research)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Sharov, A. G. 1971 Novyiye lyetayushchiye reptili iz myezozoya Kazakhstana i Kirgizii [New flying reptiles from the Mesozoic of Kazakhstan and Kirghizia]. *Trudy paleont. Inst. Moscow*. Russian text with end plates.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Bakhurina, N.N.; Unwin, D.M. (1995). "The evidence for 'hair' in *Sordes* and other pterosaurs". *Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology*. **15**.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Elgin, R.A., Hone, D.W.E., and Frey, E. 2011. The extent of the pterosaur flight membrane. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 56 (1): 99–111. [\[1\]](http://app.pan.pl/archive/published/app56/app20090145.pdf)

## External links

- [Artistic reconstruction of a *Sordes pilosus* at the Fossilsmith Studios](http://triunecommunications.com/fossilsmith/images/sordes2.jpg)

- [A fossil of a *Sordes* at paleo.ru](https://web.archive.org/web/20051023030626/http://www.paleo.ru/museum/img/large/28.jpg)

- [Article and picture of *Sordes*](http://hoopermuseum.earthsci.carleton.ca/ptero/sordes.htm)

v t e Pterosauria Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Clade: Archosauria Clade: Avemetatarsalia Clade: Pterosauromorpha Avemetatarsalia see Avemetatarsalia Pterosauria see below↓ Pterosauria Pterosauria Daohugoupterus Eotephradactylus Preondactylia Austriadactylus Preondactylus Caviramidae? Carniadactylus? Caviramus Raeticodactylus? Austriadraconidae Arcticodactylus? Austriadraco Seazzadactylus Eopterosauria Austriadraco? Peteinosaurus? Preondactylia? Raeticodactylidae Caviramus? Pachagnathus Raeticodactylus Yelaphomte Eudimorphodontidae Arcticodactylus? Carniadactylus? Eudimorphodon Zambellisauria? Peteinosaurus? Macronychoptera Herbstosaurus Dimorphodontidae Allkaruen? Caelestiventus Dimorphodon Parapsicephalus? Peteinosaurus? Rhamphinion? Lonchognatha? Eudimorphodon? Novialoidea Campylognathoididae Bergamodactylus Campylognathoides Rhamphorhynchidae Angustinaripterus Bellubrunnus Cacibupteryx Dearc Dolicorhamphus? Dorygnathus Harpactognathus Klobiodon Nesodactylus Orientognathus Parapsicephalus? Qinglongopterus Rhamphorhynchus Sericipterus Scaphognathidae? Scaphognathidae? Fenghuangopterus Jianchangnathus Jianchangopterus Scaphognathus Sordes? Pterodactylomorpha see below↓ Pterodactylomorpha Pterodactylomorpha Allkaruen? Sordes? Monofenestrata Archaeoistiodactylus Makrodactylus Melkamter Normannognathus Anurognathidae? Darwinoptera Ceoptera Pterorhynchus Wukongopteridae Archaeoistiodactylus? Cuspicephalus Darwinopterus Douzhanopterus? Kunpengopterus Wukongopterus Pterodactyliformes Changchengopterus? Douzhanopterus Laueropterus Skiphosoura Caelidracones Anurognathidae Anurognathus Batrachognathus Cascocauda Dendrorhynchoides? Jeholopterus? Luopterus Mesadactylus Sinomacrops Vesperopterylus Pterodactyloidea Dermodactylus Eurolimnornis Herbstosaurus? Kryptodrakon Ningchengopterus Pangupterus Propterodactylus Samrukia? Wenupteryx Lophocratia see below↓ Lophocratia Archaeopterodactyloidea Prejanopterus Germanodactylidae Altmuehlopterus? Germanodactylus Normannognathus? Tendaguripterus? Euctenochasmatia Diopecephalus Pterodactylus Ctenochasmatoidea Gallodactylidae Aurorazhdarcho? Cycnorhamphus Normannognathus? Petrodactyle? Moganopterinae? Aurorazhdarchia Aerodactylus Gallodactylidae? Aurorazhdarchidae Ardeadactylus? Aurorazhdarcho Huanhepterus? Ctenochasmatidae Ardeadactylus? Balaenognathus Beipiaopterus Cathayopterus Cratonopterus Ctenochasma Elanodactylus Eosipterus Feilongus Forfexopterus Garudapterus Gegepterus Gladocephaloideus Gnathosaurus Huanhepterus? Kepodactylus Liaodactylus Lusognathus Moganopterus Otogopterus Petrodactyle? Plataleorhynchus Pterodaustro Pterofiltrus Spathagnathus Tacuadactylus Eupterodactyloidea Altmuehlopterus? Ornithocheiroidea see below↓ Ornithocheiroidea Ornithocheiroidea Piksi? Tapejaroidea Dsungaripteridae Banguela? Domeykodactylus Dsungaripterus Lonchognathosaurus? Noripterus Ordosipterus Puntanipterus? Tendaguripterus? Azhdarchoidea Inabtanin Ornithostoma Tapejaromorpha Bennettazhia Keresdrakon? Thalassodromidae? Alanqa? Argentinadraco? Banguela? Kariridraco Leptostomia? Thalassodromeus Tupuxuara Xericeps? Tapejaridae Afrotapejara Aymberedactylus Bakonydraco? Caiuajara Caupedactylus Eopteranodon? Europejara Huaxiadraco Keresdrakon? Lacusovagus? Nemicolopterus Sinopterus Tapejara Torukjara Tupandactylus Vectidraco Wightia Neoazhdarchia Dsungaripteromorpha? Microtuban Dsungaripteridae Thalassodromidae? Azhdarchomorpha Chaoyangopteridae Apatorhamphus? Chaoyangopterus Eoazhdarcho Jidapterus Lacusovagus? Meilifeilong Microtuban? Shenzhoupterus Azhdarchiformes Montanazhdarcho Radiodactylus Alanqidae? Alanqa Argentinadraco? Keresdrakon? Leptostomia? Montanazhdarcho? Xericeps? Azhdarchidae Aerotitan? Alanqa? Albadraco? Aralazhdarcho Arambourgiania Azhdarcho Cryodrakon Eurazhdarcho? Galgadraco Gobiazhdarcho Hatzegopteryx Infernodrakon Mistralazhdarcho? Navajodactylus? Nipponopterus Palaeocursornis Phosphatodraco? Quetzalcoatlus Thanatosdrakon Tsogtopteryx Wellnhopterus? Zhejiangopterus? Pteranodontoidea see below↓ Pteranodontoidea Pteranodontoidea Santanadactylus Pteranodontia Pteranodontidae Bogolubovia Dawndraco Pteranodon Tethydraco Volgadraco? Nyctosauromorpha Alamodactylus Cretornis Volgadraco? Aponyctosauria Alcione Epapatelo Simurghia Nyctosauridae Barbaridactylus Muzquizopteryx Nyctosaurus Ornithocheiromorpha Aussiedraco Serradraco Unwindia Lonchodectidae Ikrandraco Lonchodectes Lonchodraco? Lanceodontia Draigwenia Lonchodectidae? Istiodactyliformes Hongshanopterus? Linlongopterus Yixianopterus Lonchodectidae? Mimodactylidae Haopterus Linlongopterus Mimodactylus Istiodactylidae Istiodactylus Liaoxipterus Lingyuanopterus Longchengpterus Luchibang Nurhachius Ornithocheiriformes Barbosania Brasileodactylus Cearadactylus Hamipterus Boreopteridae Boreopterus Zhenyuanopterus Ornithocheirae Ornithocheiridae Aetodactylus? Araripesaurus Arthurdactylus Camposipterus? Caulkicephalus? Cimoliopterus? Coloborhynchus? Draigwenia? Ferrodraco? Guidraco? Haliskia? Ludodactylus? Mythunga? Ornithocheirus Siroccopteryx? Tropeognathus? Uktenadactylus? Targaryendraconia? Saratovia Cimoliopteridae Aetodactylus Camposipterus? Cimoliopterus Targaryendraconidae Aussiedraco? Barbosania? Targaryendraco Anhangueria Brasileodactylus? Ornithocheiridae? Hamipteridae? Hamipterus Iberodactylus Anhangueridae Aerodraco Akharhynchus Anhanguera Amblydectes? Caulkicephalus? Cearadactylus? Coloborhynchus Ferrodraco? Guidraco Haliskia? Liaoningopterus Ludodactylus Maaradactylus Mythunga Nicorhynchus Siroccopteryx? Thapunngaka Tropeognathus Uktenadactylus

Taxon identifiers Sordes Wikidata: Q133000 Wikispecies: Sordes EoL: 47449561 GBIF: 4818504 IRMNG: 1020265 Open Tree of Life: 4947331 Paleobiology Database: 38478

[Portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sordes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sordes) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sordes?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.