The osteology of Furloichthys bonarellii gen. and sp. nov., a small ichthyodectid fish from the marine Cenomanian of the Furlo river (The Marche, central Italy), is studied in details. The new genus differs from all the other known Ichthyodectidae by a few peculiar characters. The lateral ethmoid is reduced and largely separated from the mesethmoid. The latero-basal ethmoid (= ethmopalatine) is associated with the mesethmoid and not with the lateral ethmoid. The short lower jaw has a narrow symphysis and an upper margin that raises up abruptly. The coronoid region, formed by both the dentary and the angular, is broad, deep and rounded. The infraorbitals 1 and 3 meet together below infraorbital 2. The hypurals 3 to 5 are fused in a large dorsal hypural plate. Furloichthys also exhibits an autopalatine with an enlarged hammer-head like articular process, 73 (45 + 28) vertebrae, bony epineurals and epipleurals, one free epural, no well marked neural spine on the preural vertebra 1 and the hypural 1 with a broad articular head. Within the phylogeny of Ichthyodectidae, Furloichthys occupies an intermediate position between Cladocyclus, Chiromystus and Verraesichthys, on the one hand, and Heckelichthys plus the more specialized genera, on the other hand.
Osteology and phylogenetic relationships of furloichthys bonarellii gen. and sp. nov. (Teleostei, ichthyodectidae), a tropical fish from the upper cretaceous of central Italy
Capasso L.
2018-01-01
Abstract
The osteology of Furloichthys bonarellii gen. and sp. nov., a small ichthyodectid fish from the marine Cenomanian of the Furlo river (The Marche, central Italy), is studied in details. The new genus differs from all the other known Ichthyodectidae by a few peculiar characters. The lateral ethmoid is reduced and largely separated from the mesethmoid. The latero-basal ethmoid (= ethmopalatine) is associated with the mesethmoid and not with the lateral ethmoid. The short lower jaw has a narrow symphysis and an upper margin that raises up abruptly. The coronoid region, formed by both the dentary and the angular, is broad, deep and rounded. The infraorbitals 1 and 3 meet together below infraorbital 2. The hypurals 3 to 5 are fused in a large dorsal hypural plate. Furloichthys also exhibits an autopalatine with an enlarged hammer-head like articular process, 73 (45 + 28) vertebrae, bony epineurals and epipleurals, one free epural, no well marked neural spine on the preural vertebra 1 and the hypural 1 with a broad articular head. Within the phylogeny of Ichthyodectidae, Furloichthys occupies an intermediate position between Cladocyclus, Chiromystus and Verraesichthys, on the one hand, and Heckelichthys plus the more specialized genera, on the other hand.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
