| Name | Sinomacrops | Diet | Insectivore |
| Name Meaning | “Chinese Large Face” | Wingspan | 33 centimeters (13 inches) |
| Pronunciation | Sy-noe-mac-rops | Length | 15 centimeters (6 inches) |
| Era | Mesozoic – Late Jurassic | Weight | N/A |
| Classification | Pterosauria, Anurognathidae & Batrachognathinae | Location | China (Asia) |
Sinomacrops Pterosaur Pictures
The Sinomacrops
Sinomacrops is a genus of small-sized pterosaur that lived in China during the Jurassic Period, around 164 to 158 million years ago.
The flying reptile belongs to the anurognathid family, a group of rare pterosaurs that inhabited Asia and Europe from the Jurassic to the Cretaceous Period.
The anurognathids were much smaller compared to their better-known pterosaur cousins.
Sinomacrops was small in comparison to other members of the anurognathid family.
It lived in forest habitats and was probably an insectivore.
Only one species has been identified in this genus from a single fossil discovered in 2021.
The genus name translates as “China Large Face” or “China Large Eyes,” referencing this pterosaur’s wide face and large eyes.
Although only one specimen of Sinomacrops has been found so far, the skeleton is in relatively good condition and mostly articulated.
The skeleton was crushed, but it still preserves a good picture of what the Sinomacrops might have looked like.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the interesting facts scientists have been able to find out about the Sinomacrops and how they lived during the Jurassic Period.
Physical Characteristics
Sinomacrops was a tiny pterosaur even by anurognathid standards.
It is one of the smallest members of the family found so far.
The pterosaur had a wingspan of about 33 centimeters (13 inches) and was roughly 15 centimeters (6 inches) long.
Sinomacrops had a short round skull, with huge eyes just like that of other anurognathids.
But these features were even more pronounced in this pterosaur.
The Sinomacrops also had rounded jaws that were quite wide and frog-like.
In addition to being smaller compared to other anurognathids, the Sinomacrops showed a few distinct features that set them apart.
The first three sets of teeth in this pterosaur’s upper jaws were tightly packed.
The skull and jaws of the Sinomacrops didn’t have the typical U-shape seen in other anurognathids.
Instead, they were slightly pointed, especially when observed from above.
Another unique feature observed in this specimen was its relatively short femur, about half the length of the tibia.
Sinomacrops also had a long tail compared to those of its closest relatives.
Anurognathids are known to possess very short tails, but the Sinomacrop’s tail was almost as long as its legs.
The head and torso of the Sinomacrops were covered in pycnofibres, a type of filament seen in other pterosaurs.
The hair-like structure is similar to the mammalian fur but unrelated.
Flight in the Sinomacrops was by means of a leathery membrane known as brachiopatagium.
This thin membrane extends to the side and the distal part of the pterosaur’s lower leg and is seen in other pterosaur species as well.
The closest relative of the Sinomacrops within the anurongnathid group is the Batrachognathus, which lived in Kazakhstan around the same time.
Habitat and Distribution
Sinomacrops lived in Southeast Asia during the Middle Jurassic Period about 160 million years ago.
Experts think they may have been alive till the Cretaceous Period, but no fossils have been found so far beyond the Jurassic.
The only fossil of this genus was recovered from China, which suggests that their range was limited to this part of East Asia.
However, the limited fossil remains of this species may also be because of the delicate nature of their bones.
The climate in China during the Middle Jurassic, when the Sinomacrops were alive, was subtropical to temperate.
The global temperature was generally warmer than today and quite humid.
Sinomacrops lived in temperate forests that had an abundance of lakes, rivers, and swamps.
The forest had abundant gymnosperm trees, conifers, cycads, and lycopsids.
Behavior and Diet
Sinomacrops was an aerial insect hunter, suggesting that they were capable of powered flight or gliding effectively.
They hunted by snatching insects in mid-air, very much like bats and other birds such as nightjars and swifts.
Like their other anurognathid relatives, Sinomacrops was either nocturnal or crepuscular, meaning they hunted in lowlight conditions like bats.
One piece of evidence for this is their large eye sockets which supports the idea that they were adapted to operating in low-light environments.
The peg-like teeth of the Sinomacrops suggest that they were largely insectivorous.
But a few of their closest relatives, like the Batrachognathus and Jeholopterus, may have been capable of hunting fish.
It isn’t clear if the Sinomacrops lived a largely arboreal life.
Still, some anurognathid species show adaptations that suggest they were predominantly tree-dwellers, such as claws modified for holding on to tree branches.
Life Cycle
Like other pterosaurs, Sinomacrops most likely reproduced sexually.
The exact courtship behavior of the Sinomacrops isn’t known.
However, evidence of display and other elaborate mating behavior has been observed in other pterosaurs, which suggests that the Sinomacrops may have exhibited similar behavior too.
After mating, female Sinomacrops most likely laid eggs in nests.
Although no Sinomacrops eggs have been found, scientists have found fossil eggs belonging to other anurognathid pterosaurs.
Their eggs were small, almost about the same size as chicken eggs, and had thin, leathery shells similar to those of modern reptiles.
The eggs would have been laid in a suitable location, possibly in nests or burrows, to protect them from predators and provide a suitable environment for incubation.
It isn’t clear if Sinomacrops and other anurognathids exhibited some form of parental care, such as incubating their eggs by sitting on them as modern birds do, but this cannot be ruled out.
The Sinomacrops embryo developed fully inside the eggs and emerged with its wings fully developed after a long incubation period.
This would mean that the hatchlings were capable of flight soon after emerging from their eggs and were soon independent of their parents.
Evolution and History
In terms of when and how they evolved, pterosaurs are typically classified into two groups, namely the rhamphorhynchoids (which represent the more primitive pterosaurs) and the pterodactyloid (derived forms that descended from the rhamphorhynchoids).
As an anurognathid, Sinomacrops fall somewhere in between these two groups.
They can be considered transitional species that share common features with both pterosaur groups.
Although they share some characteristics with the derived pterodactyloids, they evolved earlier and showed many primitive features.
For instance, while the basal pterosaurs are known for their long tails, the derived pterodactyloids have short tails.
The Sinomacrops’ tail was longer than that of its relatives but not quite as long as that of the primitive pterosaurs.
Another unique adaptation shown by the Sinomacrops was their big eyes, which suggests a nocturnal lifestyle.
Like modern bats, Sinomacrops was adapted to hunting prey at night or during low-light periods such as dawn or dusk, hence, their large forward-facing eyes.
Interactions With Other Species
Due to limited fossils, the exact nature of the interaction between Sinomacrops and other animals in its ecosystem isn’t quite clear.
Like some of its closest relatives, Sinomacrops was probably an insectivore, adapted to catching insects in flight.
The Tiaojishan Formation, where the fossil of this pterosaur was found, is home to an assemblage of arthropods, including spiders, beetles, flies and dragonflies, and mayflies that may have served as food for the Sinomacrops and other insectivorous pterosaurs.
The Jurassic insects were bigger than present-day forms.
Sinomacrops used their thick peg-like teeth to catch and hold these insects.
The jaws of this pterosaur were also wide, making it easier to catch insects in flight.
Given their small size, Sinomacrops were probably prey to larger animals in their ecosystem as well.
It shared the same landscape with dinosaurs like Anchiornis, Xiaotingia, and Epidexipteryx.
These were relatively small dinosaurs but were still capable of killing prey animals the size of the Sinomacrops given the opportunity.
Jurassic Southeast Asia was also home to other similarly-sized or bigger pterosaurs.
They include Cascocauda, Darwinopterus, Jeholopterus, and Pterorhynchus.
These pterosaurs were also insectivores, which means they would have competed for food and other resources with the Sinomacrops.
Cultural Significance
Anurognathid pterosaurs are very scarce in the fossil record.
So far, only about six species have been identified from a dozen specimens recovered from various locations in Central Europe and Asia.
The discovery of the Sinomacrops, therefore, provides scientists additional materials to better understand the evolutionary development and diversification of the anurognathid pterosaurs and their relatives.
Sinomacrops is the first anurognathid discovered, with its skull exposed in a lateral view.
Although the skeleton was mostly crushed, scientists were able to trace the outline of the jaws and other body parts.
The fossil also preserved patches of soft tissue.
The discovery of the Sinomacrops allows scientists to glean more insights about the little-known pterosaur family.
Previous interpretations of the morphology of the anurognathids were based on limited information.
The discovery of new specimens like this provides new data that can help answer some important questions about how the pterosaurs evolved and the relationship between the different groups that have been identified so far.
The Sinomacrops were discovered only recently, so it is not yet popular with the general public.
However, the round eyes and stubby chin of this dinosaur have drawn a comparison between the Sinomacrops and the adorable porgs featured in the 2017 installment of Star Wars—Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Porgs are completely fictionalized and even appeared in the movies before the discovery of the Sinomacrops.
This means their looks were not based on the Jurassic reptiles, and the similarities in their appearance were a mere coincidence.
Sinomacrops bondei is featured in the Ark Survival game as a friendly and curious pterosaur.
It is also mentioned in various books, documentaries, and other scientific materials about the prehistoric world.
Conclusion
Sinomacrops is a genus of anurognathid pterosaur that lived during the Middle to Late Jurassic Period.
This flying reptile dates back to about 164 to 158 million years ago, and it lived in temperate or subtropical forests in China.
Measuring just 15 centimeters in length, Sinomacrops was a relatively small pterosaur.
Like all anurognathids, Sinomacrops is known for its rounded skull and huge eyes.
It also had unique features such as a long tail which is not seen in any of its closest relatives. The Sinomacrops are known from a single specimen.
Although the only fossil of this pterosaur was crushed, it still preserves a good outline of the pterosaur’s body parts.
It provides valuable insights into the anatomy of the anurognathid pterosaurs and how they may have lived.
FAQs
Who discovered Sinomacrops?
Sinomacrops was discovered by Paleontologist Wei Xuefang and colleagues in 2021.
Fossils of the pterosaur were recovered from the Tiaojishan Formation, located in Mutoudeng, in the Hebei province of China.
Was Sinomacrops a real animal?
Yes, Sinomacrops was a flying reptile that was alive during the Middle to Late Jurassic Period.
It was a member of the anurognathid pterosaur family and was closely related to another tiny pterosaur known as Batrachognathus.
What did Sinomacrops look like?
The Sinomacrops was a furry-flying reptile. It looked a lot like a flying squirrel but had a salamander-like head.
The Sinomacrops had wide gaping eyes, a wide smile, and a long tail.
The entire body was covered by a pelt of tufted “pycnofibers.” It also had membranous wings that extended from both sides, which were used for flying.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinomacrops
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anurognathidae
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9462747/Newly-discovered-pterosaur-roamed-skies-160-million-years-ago-likened-Star-Wars-Porg.html
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