The lower actinopterygian fauna from the Lower Carboniferous Albert shale formation of New Brunswick, Canada – a review of previously described taxa and a description of a new genus and species

The Lower Carboniferous Albert shale formation of New Brunswick, Canada, is well-known for the preservation of countless articulated lower actinopterygian palaeoniscoid fishes. This site is at the boundary between the Devonian and the Lower Carboniferous, making the lower actinopterygians preserved at this site important. The taxonomic history of previously described Albert shale formation actinopterygians is reviewed here. Many of the earliest described actinopterygian taxa from the Albert Formation are represented by poorly preserved type specimens and have the distinction of being moved from one paraphyletic genus to another paraphyletic genus. While these taxa are in need of major redescriptions, such work is premature until the large paraphyletic or polyphyletic genera they have been placed in, Palaeonicus[m], †Rhadinichthys, and †Elonichthys, are redescribed. But there is new diversity within the Albert shale formation. Here, a new lower actinopterygian species, †Lambeia pectinatus, is described from one well-preserved specimen. This new species is characterized by dorsal ridge scales with pectinated posterior margins, body scales inserted between adjacent dorsal ridge scales, body scales with pectinated posterior and ventral margins, the presence of a ventral rostro-premaxilla and a median rostral bone, a separate and distinct antorbital bone, and a single supraorbital bone. This newly described species is distinct from previously described fishes from the Albert Formation, and the morphology of this newly described species is more similar to later Carboniferous fishes rather than Devonian fishes. This suggests that morphological features commonly seen in Carboniferous fishes and rarely seen in Devonian fishes were present early in the Carboniferous

Styracopterid ( A ctinopterygii) ontogeny and the multiple origins of post‐ H angenberg deep‐bodied fishes

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99621/1/zoj12054.pd

Test Analysis Correlation of the Single Stringer Bending Tests for the Space Shuttle ET-137 Intertank Stringer Crack Investigation

On November 5, 2010, Space Shuttle mission STS-133 was scrubbed due to a hydrogen leak at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP). After the scrub, a crack in the foam thermal protection system (TPS) was observed on the External Tank (ET) near the interface between the liquid oxygen (LOX) tank and the Intertank. When the damaged foam was removed, two 9-in. long cracks were found on the feet of Intertank stringer S7-2, and the stringer failure was the cause of the TPS crack. An investigation was conducted to determine the root cause of the cracks, establish a remedy/repair for the stringers, and provide flight rationale for the damaged tank, ET-137. The Space Transportation System (STS) Super Lightweight ET (SLWT) is comprised of two propellant tanks (an aft liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank and a forward LOX tank) and an Intertank. The Intertank serves as the structural connection between the two propellant tanks and also functions to receive and distribute all thrust loads from the solid rocket boosters . The Intertank is a stiffened cylinder structure consisting of eight mechanically joined panels (two integrally-stiffened, machined thrust panels to react the booster loads and six stringer-stiffened skin panels). There are one main ring frame, four intermediate ring frames, and forward and aft flange chords that mate to the respective propellant tanks.. The skin/stringer panels utilize external hat-section stringers that are mechanically attached with rivets along most of their length and with specialty fasteners, such as GP Lockbolts and Hi-Loks, at the forward and aft ends where the stringers attach to the flange chords. During the STS-133 Intertank stringer crack investigation, cracks were found on a total of five stringers. All of the cracks were at the LOX end, in the feet of the stringers, and near the forward fasteners (GP Lockbolts). Video of tanking for the November 5 launch attempt was used to determine that the TPS failure, and thus the stringer failure, occurred as the LOX liquid level crossed the LOX tank / Intertank interface ring frame. Hence, cryogenically-induced displacements were suspected as a contributing cause of the stringer cracks. To study the behavior of Intertank stringers subjected to similar displacements, static load tests of individual stringers, colloquially known as "single stringer bending tests" were performed. Approximately thirty stringers were tested, many of which were cut from the partially completed Intertank for what would have been ET-139. In addition to the tests, finite element (FE) analyses of the test configuration were also performed. In this paper, the FE analyses and test-analysis correlation for stringer test S6-8 are presented. Stringer S6-8 is a "short chord" configuration with no doubler panels

Revision of ionoscopus petrarojae (ionoscopiformes, osteichthyes) from the albian of Pietraroja (Campania, southern Italy)

EnThe skeleton of Ionoscopus petrarojae, an ionoscopiform fish (Halecomorphi) from the marine Albian of Pietraroja (Campania, southern Italy), is studied in details. The fish exhibits all the anatomical features that characterize the family Ionoscopidae, a maxillary sensory canal, a dermosphenotic fused to the skull roof and bearing an innerorbital flange, a dermopterotic longer than the parietal, pitted infraorbitals, onospondylous vertebrae, fossae on the lateral faces of the vertebrae, more than 15 supraneurals and amioid-like scales. Ionoscopus petrarojae differs from the well known Ionoscopus cyprinoides by numerous osteological characters. The erection of a new genus for I. cyprinoides is suggested. Comparisons are done between I. petrarojae and the ionoscopid species Oshunia brevis and Quetzalichthys perrilliatae.Comments are given on the systematic position of I. petrarojae within Ionoscopidae. I. petrarojae is the plesiomorphic member of the family. It still has a large dermosphenotic that covers the autosphenitic, as in Ophiopsidae.“Ionoscopus” cyprinoides, O. brevis and Q. perrilliatae share a new derived character. The dermosphenotic is reduced. The autosphenotic is no more hidden and becomes a visible part of the skull roof

A new Late Jurassic halecomorph fish from the marine Vaca muerta formation, Argentina, southwestern Gondwana

The knowledge of Mesozoic fish faunas of the Southern Hemisphere is still inadequate; the diversity and evolution of the Late Jurassic marine ichthyofaunas of Argentina remain unclear. One fish recovered from the Tithonian levels of the Los Catutos Member of the Vaca Muerta Formation, southwestern Argentina was considered a “caturid-like” halecomorph for almost 30 years. Recently, it was proposed that it could belong to the Pachycormiformes. A thorough comparative anatomical study of the material is conducted to test whether it could be included in †Caturidae or †Pachycormidae. The specimen is assigned to †Caturidae as a new genus and species: †Catutoichthys olsacheri (http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 6884876C-075C-433B-90B7-74187FC04C26, registered on 1 June 2016). The new taxon is based on a unique character combination, three of which are exclusive to †Catutoichthys olsacheri among caturids–diplospondylous vertebral column with triangular basidorsals and welldeveloped and fan-shaped basiventrals; neural and haemal spines strongly inclined to the body axis at an angle of 14°; a large number of infrahaemals; rounded amioid-type scales with an unornamented free field. The new taxon provides anatomical information useful for further understanding the anatomy and evolution of caturid fishes.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Toward the phylogeny of a fossil species flock: Semionotid fishes from a lake deposit in the Early Jurassic Towaco Formation, Newark Basin

A radiation of fishes in the family Semionotidae is preserved in the sedimentary record of the great rift lakes that existed during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic in eastern North America (Newark Supergroup)….https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/peabody_museum_natural_history_bulletin/1042/thumbnail.jp

A New Large †Pachycormiform (Teleosteomorpha: †Pachycormiformes) from the Lower Jurassic of Germany, with Affinities to the Suspension-Feeding Clade, and Comments on the Gastrointestinal Anatomy of Pachycormid Fishes

Pachycormiformes is a diverse clade of stem-teleost actinopterygian fishes with a stratigraphic range from the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) to Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian). The Toarcian Posidonienschiefer Formation in SW Germany records the earliest occurrence of †Pachycormiformes in the fossil record, offering unique and crucial insight into the clade’s origins and early adaptive radiation in the Early Jurassic. However, Early Jurassic taxa remain poorly studied with the taxonomic diversity and stratigraphic/geographic distributions insufficiently defined, thus masking the early part of this evolutionary radiation. Here, we report a new genus and species of pachycormid fish from the Posidonienschiefer Formation identified by phylogenetic analysis as falling in an intermediate position between Saurostomus and Ohmdenia at the base of the suspension-feeding clade. The new taxon shows a unique suite of cranial and postcranial characters. Several synapomorphies of the suspension-feeding clade, notably, the morphology of the hyomandibula, elongation of the skull, and reduced squamation are shared with the new taxon. The intestinal tract is exceptionally preserved, providing one of the most complete examples of pachycormid gastric anatomy. A comparison of the gastrointestinal anatomy of the new genus with other pachycormiforms indicates extensive taxonomic variation within the clade, in the configuration of both the midgut and spiral valve, potentially related to trophic divergence. The results highlight an underestimated high diversity and the rapid acquisition of trophic specializations in Pachycormiformes much earlier in the clade’s evolution than previously considered

A new late Permian ray-finned (actinopterygian) fish from the Beaufort Group, South Africa

Main articleA new genus and species of actinopterygian (ray-finned) fish, Kompasia delaharpei, is described from Late Permian (Tatarian) fluvio-lacustrine, siltstone dominated deposits within the lower Beaufort Group of South Africa. It is currently known from two localities on adjoining farms, Wilgerbosch and Ganora, both in the New Bethesda district of the Eastern Cape Karoo region. The fossils were recovered from an uncertain formation, possibly closely equivalent to the Balfour Formation, within the Dicynodon Assemblage Zone. Kompasia delaharpei differs from previously described early actinopterygians, including the recently described new lower Beaufort Group taxon Bethesdaichthys kitchingi, on the basis of a combination of skull and post cranial characters. The genus is characterised by: a uniquely shaped subrectangular posterior blade of the maxilla, a shortened dorsal limb of the preopercular, and a dermopterotic and dermosphenotic contacting the nasal; furthermore, the subopercular is equal to or longer than the opercular, the dorsal fin is situated in the posterior third of the body, slightly behind the position of the anal fin, and the anterior midflank scales exhibit a smooth dermal pattern or surface, with a number of faint ganoine ridges present parallel to the posterior and ventral scale margins. Kompasia appears to exhibit a relatively conservative morphology similar to that in the lower Beaufort Group taxon Bethesdaichthys kitchingi. As such, Kompasia is derived relative to stem-actinopterans such as Howqualepis, Mimia and Moythomasia, and also derived relative to earlier southern African Palaeozoic actinopterygians such as Mentzichthys jubbi and Namaichthys schroederi, but basal to stem-neopterygians such as Australosomus and Saurichthys.Palaeo-Anthropology Scientific Trust; French Embassy in South Africa; Co-operation and Cultural Service

Nine new species of \u3cem\u3eScorpiops\u3c/em\u3e Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) from China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan

Nine new species are described: Scorpiops furai sp. n. (India), S. grosseri sp. n. (India), S. harmsi sp. n. (Nepal), S. hofereki sp. n. (Pakistan), S. kejvali sp. n. (India), S. tryznai sp. n. (India), S. wrzecionkoi sp. n. (China), S. yagmuri sp. n. (Pakistan), and S. zubairi sp. n. (Pakistan), fully complemented with color photographs of preserved specimens. New species are distinguished from all other species of the family Scorpiopidae by combinations of eight major characters: position of pedipalp chelal trichobothrium Eb3; number of pedipalp patella ventral trichobothria; shape of pedipalp fingers; number of inner accessory denticles (IAD) of pedipalp movable finger; chela length to width ratio; telson length to depth ratio; total length; and pecten morphology. Also, Scorpiops vonwicki Birula, 1913 stat. n. (India) is elevated to species rank; a new diagnosis of its only known specimen (female holotype) is given, fully illustrated with color photographs; and the fascinating story of its discovery is revealed for the first time