Evidence for tactile foraging in pterosaurs: a sensitive tip to the beak of Lonchodraco giganteus (Pterosauria, Lonchodectidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of southern England

The sense of touch is important for hunting and feeding in vertebrates, especially when visual cues are unreliable. Foramina the jaws face, associated with nerves sensory organs, may provide information about feeding. Pterosaurs, many which had large, well-developed eyes, often assumed to have been feeders. Here, we show that lonchodectid pterosaur Lonchodraco giganteus (Bowerbank, 1846) has clusters circular foramina at anterior mandibular symphysis (the odontoid) on lateral margins rostrum indicate enhanced sensitivity tip. This pattern implies tactile foraging. were likely occupied by Herbst corpuscles or similar integumentary micro-organs (ISO). They presumably served a function jaw tip enhance food gathering. A morphology occurs some avians feed using cues, including probe feeders such as kiwis, sandpipers, ibises, hunters spoonbills, filter ducks flamingos. beak L. does not closely resemble these birds, thus its modus operandi remains speculative, however foraging fish invertebrates shallow water seems likely. Like pterosaurs evolved diverse range strategies.