Jonoichthys challwa gen. et sp. nov., a new Aspidorhynchiformes (Osteichthyes, Neopterygii, Teleosteomorpha) from the marine Upper Jurassic sediments of Argentina, with comments about paleobiogeography of Jurassic aspidorhynchids

GOUIRIC CAVALLI, SOLEDAD

COMPTES RENDUS PALEVOL

ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER

Lugar: Paris; Año: 2015 vol. 14 p. 291 - 304

1631-0683

Aspidorhynchiformes as a whole are incompletely understood. Here, a new aspidorhynchiform, Jonoichthys challwa gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a single three- dimensionally preserved specimen recovered from Upper Jurassic marine rocks of the Vaca Muerta Formation, Neuquén, southern Argentina. The new taxon is based on a unique combination of characters (e.g., large skull roof plate composed by the fusion of certain bones; ´L´-shaped preoperculum with a single main preopercular sensory canal that lacks sensory tubules; three predentary tooth rows; an accessory cusp in the teeth of the median predentary tooth row, and a robust and deep body). It is expected that the morphological information provided here could be useful to further understanding of aspidorhynchiform phylogeny and Neuquén Basin biodiversity.