New data on the osteology and phylogeny of Gladiopycnodontidae (Pycnodontiformes), a tropical fossil fish family from the marine upper cretaceous of Lebanon, with the description of four genera

The skeleton of three new gladiopycnodontid genera from the marine Cenomanian of Lebanon, Hayolperichthys pectospinus gen. and sp. nov., Ducrotayichthys cornutus gen. and sp. nov. and of Tricerichthys wenzi gen. and sp. nov. is studied in details. The osteology of Ichthyoceros spinosus Gayet, 1984, another Lebanese gladiopycnodontid, is re-studied. H. pectospinus gen. and sp. nov. is characterised by the three strong spines borne by its pectoral girdle and the lost of the nuchal horn. D. cornutus gen. and sp. nov. had frontal and nuchal horns, an occipital hunch and an elongate dermosupraoccipital that overlies the basis of the nuchal horn. T. wenzi gen. and sp. nov. has frontal, occipital and nuchal horns and a long anterior spine on the cleithrum. Its hyomandibula, preopercle and opercle exhibit an unusual shape. They form a crescent-like bony wing over the cheek. I. spinosus is deep-bodied and entirely covered by large scutes. It bears frontal and occipital horns. The posterior region of the skull is elongated, forming a spiny occipital process. A phylogeny within the family Gladiopycnodontidae is proposed.