New data on the osteology and relationships of Flagellipinna rhomboides, a pycnodont fish (Pycnodontidae) from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) of Lebanon

The skeleton of the fossil fish Flagellipinna rhomboides, a Pycnodontidae from the marine Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Lebanon, is described and its systematic position within the family discussed. The frontal is short, curved and broad. The brush-like process of the parietal is shortened. The neural and haemal arches are in hyper-complex contact. The last neural spines before the tail are vestigial. The anal fin contains 50 to 53 pterygiophores. The caudal fin is vertical. Three hypochordals are hypertrophied. There are bar-scales not only in the abdominal but also in the caudal region of the body. All these evolved characters clearly indicate that F. rhomboides belongs to the Nursalliini, a specialized tribe of the subfamily Pycnodontinae.