Huaxiapterus

Description

The tiny tapejarid pterosaur Huaxiapterus was possibly quite similar to the somewhat contemporaneous Sinopterus. They have some difference between each other though. Especially in size; Huaxiapterus is much smaller. It may have lived like other tapejarids, a mostly ground-living omnivore that manipulated food with its short jaws. 

The type species, Huaxiapterus jii was named in 2005 on the basis of finds from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation. It is the second tapejarid known from this rock bed. The type species was also joined by two other dubious species. These two other species are considered as being more distantly related to Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus jii.

H.jii is known on the basis of a complete skull and skeleton. Thus it is not too hard to reconstruct the animal with confidence.