{{short description|Family of azhdarchoid pterosaurs from the Cretaceous period}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Tapejarids | fossil_range = Early to Late Cretaceous, {{fossilrange|125|94|latest=Santonian}} | image = Tapejaridae skull comparison.png | image_caption = Collection of various tapejarid skulls to scale with one another. From left to right, top to bottom: ''Torukjara bandeirae'', ''Caiuajara dobruskii'', ''Tupandactylus imperator'', ''Tapejara wellnhoferi'', ''Huaxiadraco corollatus'', and ''Sinopterus dongi'' | taxon = Tapejaridae | authority = Kellner, 1989 | type_species = {{extinct}}''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' | type_species_authority = Kellner, 1989 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = * {{extinct}}''Bakonydraco''? * {{extinct}}Thalassodrominae? * {{extinct}}'''Caupedactylia'''? <small>Pêgas ''et al.'', 2023</small> ** {{extinct}}''Aymberedactylus'' ** {{extinct}}''Caupedactylus'' * {{extinct}}'''Sinopterinae''' <small>Lü ''et al.'', 2016</small> ** {{extinct}}''Afrotapejara'' ** {{extinct}}''Eopteranodon'' ** {{extinct}}''Huaxiadraco'' ** {{extinct}}''Sinopterus'' ** {{extinct}}''Wightia'' * {{extinct}}'''Tapejarinae''' <small>Kellner & Campos, 2007</small> ** {{extinct}}''Europejara'' ** {{extinct}}''Vectidraco'' ** {{extinct}}'''Tapejarini''' <small>Andres ''et al.'', 2014</small> *** {{extinct}}''Tapejara'' *** {{extinct}}''Tupandactylus'' *** {{extinct}}'''Caiuajarina''' <small>Pêgas, 2024</small> **** {{extinct}}''Caiuajara'' **** {{extinct}}''Torukjara'' | synonyms = * '''Eutapejaria'''?<br />{{small|Pêgas et al., 2023}} }}
'''Tapejaridae''' (from a Tupi word meaning 'the lord of the ways') is a family of azhdarchoid pterosaurs from the Cretaceous period. Members are currently known from Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and possibly North America.<ref name=Mull2023>{{cite journal|last1=Mull|first1=Olivia K.|last2=Bennett|first2=S. Christopher|date=2023-07-31|title=Tapejarine pterosaur from the late Albian Paw Paw Formation of Texas, USA, with extensive feeding traces of multiple scavengers|journal=Historical Biology|doi=10.1080/08912963.2023.2241044|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2023.2241044|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The most primitive genera were found in China, indicating that the family has an Asian origin.<ref name=LJUZAJ06>{{cite journal | last1 = Lü | first1 = J. | last2 = Jin | first2 = X. | last3 = Unwin | first3 = D.M. | last4 = Zhao | first4 = L. | last5 = Azuma | first5 = Y. | last6 = Ji | first6 = Q. | year = 2006 | title = A new species of ''Huaxiapterus'' (Pterosauria: Pterodactyloidea) from the Lower Cretaceous of western Liaoning, China with comments on the systematics of tapejarid pterosaurs | doi = 10.1111/j.1755-6724.2006.tb00251.x | journal = Acta Geologica Sinica | volume = 80 | issue = 3| pages = 315–326 | s2cid = 129851866 }}</ref>
==Description== [[File:Tapejarines mmartyniuk.png|thumb|left| Reconstructed profiles of three Brazilian species; from top to bottom, ''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' (A), ''Tupandactylus navigans'' (B), and ''Tupandactylus imperator'' (C)]] Tapejarids were small to medium-sized pterosaurs with several unique, shared characteristics, mainly relating to the skull. Most tapejarids possessed a bony crest arising from the snout (formed mostly by the premaxillary bones of the upper jaw tip). In some species, this bony crest is known to have supported an even larger crest of softer, fibrous tissue that extends back along the skull. Tapejarids are also characterized by their large nasoantorbital fenestra, the main opening in the skull in front of the eyes, which spans at least half the length of the entire skull in this family. Their eye sockets were small and pear-shaped.<ref name=pinheiroetal2011/> Studies of tapejarid brain cases show that they had extremely good vision, more so than in other pterosaur groups, and probably relied nearly exclusively on vision when hunting or interacting with other members of their species.<ref name=ecketal2011>{{cite journal | last1 = Eck | first1 = K. | last2 = Elgin | first2 = R.A. | last3 = Frey | first3 = E. | year = 2011 | title = On the osteology of ''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' KELLNER 1989 and the first occurrence of a multiple specimen assemblage from the Santana Formation, Araripe Basin, NE-Brazil | journal = Swiss Journal of Palaeontology | volume = 130 | issue = 2| pages = 277–296 | doi = 10.1007/s13358-011-0024-5 | s2cid = 84883165 }}</ref> Tapejarids had unusually reduced shoulder girdles that would have been slung low on the torso, resulting in wings that protruded from near the belly rather than near the back, a "bottom decker" arrangement reminiscent of some planes.<ref name=ecketal2011/>
==Biology== Tapejarids appear to have been arboreal, having more curved claws than other azhdarchoid pterosaurs and occurring more commonly in fossil sites with other arboreal flying vertebrates such as early birds. Tapejarids have long been speculated as having been frugivores or omnivores, based on their parrot-like beaks.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Wu | first1 = Wen-Hao | last2 = Zhou | first2 = Chang-Fu | last3 = Andres | first3 = Brian | year = 2017 | title = The toothless pterosaur Jidapterus edentus (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchoidea) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and its paleoecological implications | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 12 | issue = 9| article-number = e0185486 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0185486 | pmid = 28950013 | pmc = 5614613 | bibcode = 2017PLoSO..1285486W | doi-access = free }}</ref> Direct evidence for plant-eating is known in a specimen of ''Sinopterus'' that preserves phytoliths and gastroliths in the abdominal cavity.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Jiang, S.|author2=Zhang, X.|author3=Wu, Y.|author4=Zheng, M.|author5=Kellner, A.W.A.|author6=Wang, X.|year=2025|title=First occurrence of phytoliths in pterosaurs—evidence for herbivory|journal=Science Bulletin|volume=70|issue=19|pages=3134–3138|doi=10.1016/j.scib.2025.06.040}}</ref>
==Classification== [[File:Jiufotang_tapejarids.png|thumb|left|Life restorations of sinopterines ''Huaxiadraco'' and ''Sinopterus'']] Tapejaridae was named and defined by Brazilian paleontologist Alexander Kellner in 1989 as the clade containing both ''Tapejara'' and ''Tupuxuara'', plus all descendants of their most recent common ancestor. In 2007, Kellner divided the family: Tapejarinae, consisting of ''Tapejara'' and its close relatives, and Thalassodrominae, consisting of ''Thalassodromeus'' and ''Tupuxuara''.<ref name=KC07>{{cite journal |last=Kellner |first=A.W.A. |author2=Campos, D.A. |year=2007 |title=Short note on the ingroup relationships of the Tapejaridae (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea |journal=Boletim do Museu Nacional |volume=75 |pages=1–14 }}</ref> A 2011 study subsumed the family Chaoyangopteridae in as the subfamily Chaoyangopterinae,<ref name=pinheiroetal2011>{{cite journal | last1 = Pinheiro | first1 = F.L. | last2 = Fortier | first2 = D.C. | last3 = Schultz | first3 = C.L. | last4 = De Andrade | first4 = J.A.F.G. | last5 = Bantim | first5 = R.A.M. | year = 2011| title = New information on ''Tupandactylus imperator'', with comments on the relationships of Tapejaridae (Pterosauria) | journal = Acta Palaeontologica Polonica | volume = 56| pages = 567–580| doi = 10.4202/app.2010.0057 | doi-access = free }}</ref> something not followed by future authors. Kellner's concept of a Tapejaridae consisting of Tapejarinae and Thalassodrominae would be the basis for numerous subsequent phylogenetic analyses.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Pêgas |first1=R. V. |last2=Costa |first2=F. R. |last3=Kellner |first3=A. W. A. |title=New Information on the osteology and a taxonomic revision of the genus ''Thalassodromeus'' (Pterodactyloidea, Tapejaridae, Thalassodrominae) |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |date=2018 |volume=38 |issue=2 |article-number=e1443273 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2018.1443273|s2cid=90477315 }}</ref><ref name="Holgado2019">Borja Holgado, Rodrigo V. Pêgas, José Ignacio Canudo, Josep Fortuny, Taissa Rodrigues, Julio Company & Alexander W.A. Kellner, 2019, "On a new crested pterodactyloid from the Early Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula and the radiation of the clade Anhangueria", ''Scientific Reports'' '''9''': 4940 {{doi|10.1038/s41598-019-41280-4}}</ref><ref name="Mimodactylus">{{cite journal |last1=Kellner |first1=Alexander W. A. |last2=Caldwell |first2=Michael W. |last3=Holgado |first3=Borja |last4=Vecchia |first4=Fabio M. Dalla |last5=Nohra |first5=Roy |last6=Sayão |first6=Juliana M. |last7=Currie |first7=Philip J. |title=First complete pterosaur from the Afro-Arabian continent: insight into pterodactyloid diversity |journal=Scientific Reports |date=2019 |volume=9 |issue=1 |page=17875 |doi=10.1038/s41598-019-54042-z|pmid=31784545 |pmc=6884559 |bibcode=2019NatSR...917875K |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Kellner2019">{{Cite journal|last1=Kellner|first1=Alexander W. A.|last2=Weinschütz|first2=Luiz C.|last3=Holgado|first3=Borja|last4=Bantim|first4=Renan A. M.|last5=Sayão|first5=Juliana M.|date=19 August 2019|title=A new toothless pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea) from Southern Brazil with insights into the paleoecology of a Cretaceous desert|journal=Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências|language=en|volume=91|issue=suppl 2|article-number=e20190768|doi=10.1590/0001-3765201920190768|pmid=31432888|issn=0001-3765|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Beccari|first1=Victor|last2=Pinheiro|first2=Felipe Lima|last3=Nunes|first3=Ivan|last4=Anelli|first4=Luiz Eduardo|last5=Mateus|first5=Octávio|last6=Costa|first6=Fabiana Rodrigues|date=2021-08-25|title=Osteology of an exceptionally well-preserved tapejarid skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the anatomy of a curious pterodactyloid clade|journal=PLOS ONE|language=en|volume=16|issue=8|article-number=e0254789|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0254789|pmid=34432814 | pmc=8386889 |issn=1932-6203|doi-access=free }}</ref> [[File:Thalassodromeus in Japan.jpg|thumb|left|Skeletal reconstructions of ''Thalassodromeus'', phylogenetically controversial pterosaurs classically assigned to Tapejaridae]] Various opposing studies have arose challenging Kellner's concept of Tapejaridae. The 2003 model of paleontologist David Unwin found ''Tupuxara'' and ''Thalassodromeus'' to be more distantly related to ''Tapejara'' and therefore outside of Tapejaridae, instead being related to Azhdarchidae.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Unwin |first1=D. M. |title=On the phylogeny and evolutionary history of pterosaurs |journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications |date=2003 |volume=217 |issue=1 |pages=139–190 |doi=10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.217.01.11 |bibcode=2003GSLSP.217..139U |s2cid=86710955}}</ref> Later, in 2006, British paleontologists David Martill and Darren Naish followed Unwin's concept, and provided a revised definition for Tapejaridae was also proposed: the clade containing all species more closely related to ''Tapejara'' than to ''Quetzalcoatlus''.<ref name="martill&naish2006">{{cite journal | last1 = Martill | first1 = D.M. | last2 = Naish | first2 = D. | year = 2006 | title = Cranial crest development in the azhdarchoid pterosaur ''Tupuxuara'', with a review of the genus and tapejarid monophyly | journal = Palaeontology | volume = 49 | issue = 4| pages = 925–941 | doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00575.x| doi-access = free }}</ref> A 2008 study by Lü Junchang and colleagues also corroborated this model, and used the term "Tupuxuaridae" to include both genera.<ref name="Lu2008">{{cite journal |author=Lü J. |author2=D.M. Unwin |author3=Xu L. |author4=Zhang X. |year=2008 |title=A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China and its implications for pterosaur phylogeny and evolution |journal=Naturwissenschaften |pages=891–7 |doi=10.1007/s00114-008-0397-5 |volume=95 |pmid=18509616 |issue=9}}</ref> In 2009, British paleontologist Mark Witton also agreed with the Unwin model. However, he noted that the term Thalassodrominae was created before Tupuxuaridae, meaning it had naming priority. He elevated Thalassodrominae to family level, thus creating the denomination Thalassodromidae.<ref name="deliradamus">{{cite journal |last1=Witton |first1=M. P. |title=A new species of ''Tupuxuara'' (Thalassodromidae, Azhdarchoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation of Brazil, with a note on the nomenclature of Thalassodromidae |journal=Cretaceous Research |date=2009 |volume=30 |issue=5 |pages=1293–1300 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2009.07.006|bibcode=2009CrRes..30.1293W |s2cid=140174098 }}</ref>
Regarding the core tapejarid clade, American paleontologist Brian Andres and colleagues formally defined Tapejaridae as the clade containing ''Tapejara'' and ''Sinopterus'' in 2014. They also re-defined the subfamily Tapejarinae as all species closer to ''Tapejara'' than to ''Sinopterus'', and added a new clade, Tapejarini, to include all descendants of the last common ancestor of ''Tapejara'' and ''Tupandactylus''.<ref name=kryptodrakon>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.cub.2014.03.030| title = The Earliest Pterodactyloid and the Origin of the Group| journal = Current Biology| year = 2014| last1 = Andres | first1 = B. | last2 = Clark | first2 = J. | last3 = Xu | first3 = X. | pmid=24768054 | volume=24 | issue = 9| pages=1011–6| doi-access = free }}</ref> In 2020, in the description of the genus ''Wightia'', an opposing subfamily was named, Sinopterinae, consisting of tapejarids more closely related to ''Sinopterus'' than ''Tapejara''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Martill|first1=David M.|last2=Green|first2=Mick|last3=Smith|first3=Roy|last4=Jacobs|first4=Megan|last5=Winch|first5=John|date=April 2020|title=First tapejarid pterosaur from the Wessex Formation (Wealden Group: Lower Cretaceous, Barremian) of the United Kingdom|journal=Cretaceous Research|volume=113|language=en|article-number=104487|doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104487|url=https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/files/21225219/First_tapejarid_pterosaur_from_the_Wessex_Formation.pdf}}</ref> These studies follow the Unwin model, opposing Kellner's model of Tapejaridae while corroborating the close relationship between thalassodromids, azhdarchids, rather than tapejarids. [[File:Unnamed pterosaur.jpg|thumb|left|Reconstructed skull of ''Caupedactylus'', a pterosaur recovered either within Tapejarinae or just outside Tapejaridae in its own clade, Caupedactylia]] In 2023, paleontologist Rodrigo Pêgas and colleagues argued that despite the disagreements about the position of ''Thalassodromeus'' and its relatives, the species in question were consistently related. Therefore, they favored the term Thalassodromidae to have consistency with other studies that used the same name, despite finding them to form a natural grouping with Tapejaridae in their phylogenetic analysis (per the Kellner model). Thus, Thalassodromidae and Tapejaridae would be separate families within Tapejaromorpha. In their 2023 study, Pêgas and colleagues redefined Tapejaridae to be the most recent common ancestor of ''Sinopterus'', ''Tapejara'', and ''Caupedactylus'' in order to preserve the scope of the family in light of finding ''Caupedactylus'', traditionally a tapejarine, outside of the Andres definition of Tapejaridae. They divided this redefined Tapejaridae into the groups Eutapejaria, containing the subfamilies Sinopterinae and Tapejarinae, and Caupedactylia, containing the pterosaurs ''Caupedactylus'' and ''Aymberedactylus''.<ref name="Pegas2023">{{Cite journal |last1=Pêgas |first1=R. V. |last2=Zhoi |first2=X. |last3=Jin |first3=X. |last4=Wang |first4=K. |last5=Ma |first5=W. |year=2023 |title=A taxonomic revision of the ''Sinopterus'' complex (Pterosauria, Tapejaridae) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, with the new genus ''Huaxiadraco'' |journal=PeerJ |volume=11 |at=e14829 |doi=10.7717/peerj.14829 |doi-access=free |pmc=9922500}}</ref> In 2024, Pêgas rejected this redefinition of Tapejaridae in light of non-compliance with phylocode rules, applying the ''Tapejara'' and ''Sinopterus'' definition and deeming Eutapejaria a synonym. Instead, he created the larger group contain Tapejaridae and Caupedactylia, removing ''Caupedactylus'' and ''Aymberedactylus'' from the family itself.<ref name="Pêgas2024">{{Cite journal |last1=Pêgas |first1=Rodrigo V. |date=June 10, 2024 |title=A taxonomic note on the tapejarid pterosaurs from the Pterosaur Graveyard site (Caiuá Group, ?Early Cretaceous of Southern Brazil): evidence for the presence of two species |journal=Historical Biology |language=en |pages=1–22 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381306918 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2024.2355664 |issn=0891-2963}}</ref>
The cladogram below shows the phylogenetic analysis conducted by paleontologist Gabriela Cerqueira and colleagues in 2021, which uses Kellner's nomenclature of Tapejaridae.<ref name="Kariridraco">{{cite journal|vauthors=Cerqueira GM, Santos MA, Marks MF, Sayão JM, Pinheiro FL|title=A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil and the paleobiogeography of the Tapejaridae|year=2021|journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica|volume=66|doi=10.4202/app.00848.2020|doi-access=free|url=https://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/article/item/app008482020.html?pdf=39}}.</ref>
{{clade | label1='''Tapejaridae''' | 1={{clade | label1=Thalassodrominae | 1={{clade | 1=''Thalassodromeus sethi'' | 2={{clade |1=''Kariridraco dianae'' |2={{clade |1=''Tupuxuara leonardii'' | 2=''Tupuxuara longicristatus'' }} }} }} | label2='''Tapejarinae''' | 2={{clade | 1=''Caupedactylus ybaka'' | 2={{clade | 1=''Aymberedactylus cearensis'' | 2={{clade | 1={{clade | 1=''Eopteranodon lii'' | 2=''Huaxiapterus benxiensis'' | 3=''Huaxiapterus corollatus'' | 4=''Sinopterus dongi'' }} | label2='''Tapejarini''' | 2={{clade | 1=''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' | 2=''Europejara olcadesorum'' | 3=''Caiuajara dobruskii'' | 4=''Tupandactylus imperator'' }} }} }} }} }} }} Below are two cladograms representing different concepts of Tapejaridae. The first one shows the phylogenetic analysis conducted by Andres in 2021, in which Tapejaridae consists of the subfamilies Tapejarinae and Sinopterinae. He found the pterosaurs ''Lacusovagus'' and ''Keresdrakon'' as tapejarines, an arrangement that had never been recovered in previous analyses. Regarding the interrelationships of Tapejaridae, Andres follows Unwin's concept.<ref name="Andres2021">{{Cite journal |last=Andres |first=Brian |date=December 7, 2021 |title=Phylogenetic systematics of ''Quetzalcoatlus'' Lawson 1975 (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchoidea) |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=41 |issue=sup1 |pages=203–217 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1801703 |s2cid=245078533 |issn=0272-4634 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2021JVPal..41S.203A}}</ref> The second cladogram shows the phylogenetic analysis conducted by Pêgas in 2024. He also found Tapejaridae to consist of both Tapejarinae and Sinopterinae, but differed from Andres in recovering the tapejarid ''Bakonydraco'' as a sinopterine instead of tapejarine. He created the new subtribe Caiuajarina within Tapejarini to include ''Caiuajara'' and ''Torukjara''. Additionally, his analysis further differs from that of Andres in finding both Tapejaridae and Thalassodromidae within Tapejaromorpha, which corroborates the close relationship between thalassodromids and tapejarids, similar to Kellner.<ref name="Pêgas2024"/>
{{col-begin|width=95%}} {{col-2}} '''Topology 1''': Andres (2021). {{clade| style=font-size:90%;line-height:90% |label1=Azhdarchoidea |1={{clade |1=Neoazhdarchia |label2='''Tapejaridae''' |2={{clade |label1='''Sinopterinae''' |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''Huaxiapterus jii'' |2=''Eopteranodon lii'' }} |2={{clade |1=''Sinopterus dongi'' |2={{clade |1=''Sinopterus benxiensis'' |2=''Sinopterus corollatus'' }} }} }} |label2='''Tapejarinae''' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''Lacusovagus magnificens'' |2={{clade |1=''Bakonydraco galaczi'' |2=''Keresdrakon vilsoni'' }} }} |label2='''Tapejarini''' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' |2=''Europejara olcadesorum'' |3=''Vectidraco daisymorrisae'' }} |2={{clade |1=''Caiuajara dobruskii'' |2={{clade |1=''Tupandactylus navigans'' |2=''Tupandactylus imperator'' }} }} }} }} }} }} }} {{col-2}} '''Topology 2''': Pêgas (2024). {{clade| style=font-size:90%;line-height:90% | label1=Tapejaromorpha | 1={{clade | 1=Thalassodromidae | label2=Tapejariformes | 2={{clade | label1=Caupedactylia | 1={{clade | 1=''Aymberedactylus cearensis'' | 2=''Caupedactylus ybaka'' }} | label2='''Tapejaridae''' | 2={{clade |label1='''Tapejarinae''' |1={{clade | 1=''Europejara olcadesorum'' | 2={{clade |1={{clade | 1=''Tupandactylus imperator'' |2=''Tupandactylus navigans'' }} | 2={{clade | 1=''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' |label2='''Caiuajarina''' | 2={{clade |1=''Caiuajara dobruskii'' |2=''Torukjara bandeirae'' }} }} }} }} |label2='''Sinopterinae''' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''Huaxiadraco corollatus'' |2={{clade |1=''Eopteranodon lii'' |2=''Sinopterus dongi'' }} }} |2={{clade |1=''Wightia declivirostris'' |2={{clade |1=''Afrotapejara zouhri'' |2=''Bakonydraco galaczi'' }} }} }} }} }} }} }} {{col-end}}
==Subclades==
Summary of the phylogenetic definitions of '''tapejarid''' subclades as discussed in the classification section.
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="center" width="100%" ! Name ! Named by ! Definition ! Notes |- | '''Caiuajarina''' | Pêgas, 2024<ref name=tapejariformes>{{cite journal |doi=10.1080/08912963.2024.2355664 |title=A taxonomic note on the tapejarid pterosaurs from the Pterosaur Graveyard site (Caiuá Group, ?Early Cretaceous of Southern Brazil): Evidence for the presence of two species |date=2024 |last1=Pêgas |first1=Rodrigo V. |journal=Historical Biology |pages=1–22 }}</ref> | The largest clade containing ''Caiuajara dobruskii'', but not ''Tapejara wellnhoferi''. | |- | '''Caupedactylia''' | Pêgas ''et al.'', 2023<ref name="Pegas2023"/> | The largest clade containing ''Caupedactylus ybaka'', but not ''Tapejara wellnhoferi''. | May be within '''Tapejaridae''' or just outside in the broader clade '''Tapejariformes'''. |- | '''Eutapejaria''' | Pêgas ''et al.'', 2023<ref name="Pegas2023"/> | The largest clade containing ''Tapejara wellnhoferi'', but not ''Caupedactylus ybaka''. | May be synonymous with '''Tapejaridae''' when '''Caupedactylia''' is outside of '''Tapejaridae'''. |- | '''Sinopterinae''' | Lü ''et al.'', 2016 | The largest clade containing ''Sinopterus dongi'', but not ''Tapejara wellnhoferi''. | |- | '''Tapejaridae''' | Kellner, 1989 | The smallest clade containing ''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' and ''Sinopterus dongi''. | Has had multiple interpretations of how inclusive the family is. Originally including ''Tapejara'' and relatives along with ''Thalassodromeus'' and relatives, then the last common ancestor and all descendants of ''Tapejara'' and ''Sinopterus'', and most recently proposed as the last common ancestor ''Caupedactylus'', ''Tapejara'', and ''Sinopterus''. The second interpretation is the currently most followed convention.<ref name=tapejariformes/> |- | '''Tapejariformes''' | Pêgas, 2024<ref name=tapejariformes/> | The clade characterized by a downturned rostrum synapomorphic with that of ''Tapejara'' | May be synonymous with Tapejaridae if ''Caupedactylus'' is a tapejarid. |- | '''Tapejarinae''' | Kellner & Campos, 2007<ref name=KC07/> | The largest clade containing ''Tapejara wellnhoferi'', but not ''Sinopterus dongi''. | Has been historically treated as one of two subfamilies (the other being '''Thalassodrominae''') in '''Tapejaridae'''. More recently, it is treated as one of the two main subfamilies along with '''Sinopterinae'''. |- | '''Tapejarini''' | Andres ''et al.'', 2014<ref name=kryptodrakon /> | The smallest clade containing ''Tapejara wellnhoferi'' and ''Tupandactylus imperator'' | |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Pterosauria|Az.}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q134383}}
Category:Tapejaridae Category:Reptile families Category:Cretaceous reptiles