Istiodactylidae

Remains of taxa that can be confidently assigned to Istiodactylidae have been found in the UK and China, in rocks dating from the Early Cretaceous period (Barremian to Aptian stage). Arbour and Currie (2011) described Canadian Gwawinapterus beardi as a member of Istiodactylidae living in the late Cretaceous (upper Campanian stage); however, Witton (2012) suggested the tooth replacement pattern in this animal does not match that of pterosaurs, suggesting that the species might be non-pterosaurian. The earliest known species might be Archaeoistiodactylus linglongtaensis, from the Middle Jurassic of China; however, it also has been suggested that the holotype specimen of this species might actually be a poorly preserved specimen of Darwinopterus. Hongshanopterus, a supposed istiodactylid from China, has been reclassified as a non-istiodactylid member of Ornithocheiroidea of uncertain phylogenetic placement by Witton (2012). ==Classification==

Below is a cladogram showing the phylogenetic placement of this group within Pteranodontia from Andres and Myers (2013). }} The cladogram below is a topology recovered by Kellner et al. (2019). In the analyses, they recovered Istiodactylidae within the more inclusive group Istiodactyliformes, and assigned both Istiodactylus and Liaoxipterus to a new subfamily called Istiodactylinae, but kept Nurhachius as a basal member. }} }} }} }} }} ==Paleobiology==

Lifestyle Unlike most ornithocheiroids, istiodactylids bear morphologies suited to a terrestrial life and many of their fossils have been found in freshwater-deposits. Istiodactylids are considered to be pterosaurian equivalents to vultures: acting as the clean-up crew in their habitats. The swimming abilities of Istiodactylids have not been analyzed, in contrast to Ornithocheirids. ==References==