Wukongopterus is a new species of pterosaur, with fossils discovered in Daohugou, Liaoning Province. In 2009, a Chinese and Brazilian research team first studied and named Wukongopterus lii, and established the Wukongopteridae family based on it. They discovered that Wukongopterosaurs possess many mosaic features of primitive rhinocerosaurids and relatively advanced pterosaurs, such as the fusion of the external nostrils and preorbital fenestra into a nasoorbital fenestra, relatively elongated cervical vertebrae and metacarpals, but the degree of elongation is between that of rhinocerosaurids and pterosaurs; a long tail; and a particularly well-developed fifth toe.
The Wukong pterosaurs originated from the Jurassic Yanliao Biota in western Liaoning, and were mainly distributed in Jianchang in western Liaoning and its neighboring areas such as Ningcheng in Inner Mongolia and Qinglong in Hebei. They represent a key missing link in the evolution of pterosaurs.
On February 10, 2017, the Proceedings of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências) published online the latest research findings of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, on the headdresses (skull ridges) of Wukongptera. Based on the description of a new type of headdress, the research summarized the headdress characteristics of all discovered Wukongptera, discussed the function of the headdresses, and concluded that the presence or absence of headdresses in Wukongptera was not a marker for distinguishing male and female individuals, but rather a distinguishing feature between different genera and species.
This unique pterosaur group has already been named with several genera and species, including *Wukongpterosaur*, *Darwin's Pterosaur*, and *Kunpengpterosaur*, and is the dominant group in the Yanliao pterosaur fauna. Phylogenetic analysis shows that all members of the Wukongpterosauridae family constitute a monophyletic group, a sister group to the Pterodactyloidea suborder; however, the phylogenetic relationships within the Wukongpterosauridae family require further investigation.
The type species is Li's Wukong Pterosaur.
The English name of Wukong Pterosaur comes from "wukong" (Sun Wukong, the Monkey King from Journey to the West) plus "pterus" (wing). To date, this entirely new pterosaur group has not only preserved a large number of complete skeletons and headdresses, but some specimens also contain fossilized eggs. This is one of the few pterosaur groups in the world that has preserved both skeletons and eggs, which is of great significance for understanding the egg-laying and reproductive mechanisms of pterosaurs and the characteristics for distinguishing males and females.
