A new Eocene batoid fish (Elasmobranchii, Myliobatiformes) from Monte Bolca (Italy) reveals an extinct body plan for stingrays
- Author(s)
- Giuseppe Marrama, Giorgio Carnevale, Luca Giusberti, Gavin Naylor, Jürgen Kriwet
- Abstract
In the last few years, the detailed taxonomic and systematic revision of the Eocene cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) from the Bolca Lagerstätte (Italy), one of the most famous paleontological sites of the world, has provided new insights into the fish biodiversity of the western Tethys. The mor-phological analysis of two previously undescribed complete and articulated batoid specimens from the Pesciara deposit of Bolca revealed the existence of a new stingray genus which is unique among the myliobatiform batoids in having the following unique combination of characters: low number of vertebrae posterior to the pelvic girdle (65-68); thoracolumbar synarcual extending backward beyond the pelvic girdle; tail extremely short not protruding from the posterior edge of the pectoral disc; pec-toral radials proximally fused to each other; pelvic girdle extremely small and strongly arched; dorsal and caudal fins absent; tail stings and cartilaginous tail rod absent; and teeth of dasyatoid morphology with smooth enameloid surface. The phylogenetic analysis suggests that the new taxon is deeply nested within the benthic stingrays (Dasyatoidea) representing the sister to all dasyatids and potamotrygonids. Its unique anatomy reveals the existence of a new hitherto unknown body plan experimented by the stingrays, whose evolution can be possibly linked to the adaptive fish radiation in the aftermath of the end-Cretaceous extinction.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Palaeontology
- External organisation(s)
- University of Turin, University of Padova, Florida Museum of Natural History
- Pages
- 94-94
- No. of pages
- 1
- Publication date
- 2019
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105118 Palaeontology, 106003 Biodiversity research
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/de773bf9-004d-4481-bd04-ac68e0b6c626