La phylogénie des ptérosaures suppose qu'il existe plusieurs arbres phylogénétiques proposés à travers les années et les perceptions de ces animaux. Leur phylogénie est hautement controversée et plusieurs hypothèses existent.
Unwin (2003)
La matrix comprend 19 groupes de ptérosaures (dont la plupart sont supra-soécifique) plus un groupe extérieur (Euparkeria capensis). Les taxons furent enregistrés pour 60 caractères.
La matrix comprend 39 espèces de ptérosaures validées, bien que Rhamphorhynchus longicaudus et Nyctosaurus bonneri sont respectivement considérées comme des synonymes de R. muensteri et N. gracilis, plus trois espèces hors groupes (Ornithosuchus longidens, Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis and Scleromochlus taylori). Les taxons ont été codés pour 74 caractères.
In 2010, Brian Blake Andres wrote a review of pterosaur phylogeny in his dissertation. His phylogenetic analysis combined data mainly from three different matrixes: Kellner's original analysis (2003) and its updates (Kellner (2004), Wang et al. (2005) and Wang et al. (2009)), Unwin's original analysis (2003) and its updates (Unwin (2002), Unwin (2004), Lu et al. (2008) and Lu et al. (2009)) and previous analyses by Andres et al. (2005), Andres and Ji (2008) and Andres et al. (2010). Additional characters are taken from DallaVecchia (2009), Bennett' analyses (1993-1994) and various older, non-phylogenetic, papers.[1]
The matrix includes 100 valid pterosaur species plus a single outgroup (Euparkeria capensis). This represents 70.4% of 142 known pterosaur species. These were scored for 183 morphological characters (compared to 3 outgroups plus 57 ingroups which were scored for 89 characters of Wang et al. 2009 [the latest version of Kellner's analysis] and to 1 outgroups plus 59 ingroups which were scored for 117 characters of Lu et al. 2012 [the latest version of Unwin's analysis]).[2] The resultant topology is well supported and more resolved than previous analyses. Furthermore, it codes only species as terminal taxa, (unlike some analyses, e.g., Unwin (2003) who used mainly families) and uses the holotype specimens for the codings (unlike some analyses, e.g., Kellner (2003)).[1] This phylogenetic analysis was used by Richard J. Butler, Stephen L. Brusatte, Brian B. Andres and Roger B. J. Benson (2012) to assess the morphological diversity and fossil sampling biases of the Pterosauria.[2] A paper focusing on the pterosaur phylogeny (Andres, in press) will be published in an upcoming book named "The Pterosauria".[3] An updated and more resolved version of this phylogeny was published formally by Andres and Myers (2013) containing 185 characters and 109 ingroup taxa. Below is a cladogram showing these results after the exclusion of three taxa that can be coded only for one character (clade names follow Andres & Myers, 2013).[4]
↑ a et bRichard J. Butler, Stephen L. Brusatte, Brian B. Andres and Roger B. J. Benson, « How do geological sampling biases affect studies of morphological evolution in deep time? A case study of the Pterosauria (Reptilia: Archosauria) », Evolution, vol. 66, no 1, , p. 147–162 (DOI10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01415.x)
↑(en) Brian Blake Andres, The Pterosauria, Cambridge University Press, (lire en ligne), « A review of pterosaur phylogeny »
↑B. Andres et T. S. Myers, « Lone Star Pterosaurs », Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, , p. 1 (DOI10.1017/S1755691013000303)
Kellner, A. W. A., (2003): Pterosaur phylogeny and comments on the evolutionary history of the group. pp. 105-137. — in Buffetaut, E. & Mazin, J.-M., (eds.) (2003): Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. Geological Society of London, Special Publications 217, London, 1-347
Peters, D., (2007): The origin and radiation of the Pterosauria — in Flugsaurier: The Wellnhofer pterosaur meeting, Munich, 2007, 27-28
Unwin, D. M., 2003: On the phylogeny and evolutionary history of pterosaurs. pp. 139-190. — in Buffetaut, E. & Mazin, J.-M., (eds.) (2003): Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. Geological Society of London, Special Publications 217, London, 1-347
Wellnhofer, P., (1991): The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs. Salamander Books Ltd., London, pp. 192
