Melanosteus

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Melanosteus
Temporal range: Late Frasnian[1]
Melanosteus occitanus.jpg
Artist's reconstruction
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Class:
Placodermi
Order:
Arthrodira
Suborder:
Brachythoraci
Infraorder:
Coccosteina
Superfamily:
Dinichthyloidea
Family:
Selenosteidae
Genus:
Melanosteus
Species:
M. occitanus
Binomial name
Melanosteus occitanus
Lelièvre 1987

Melanosteus occitanus is a small (skull about 5 centimeters long) selenosteid arthrodire placoderms known from the Upper Frasnian Montagne Noire of Southern France.[1] Rücklin (2011), regards M. occitanus as the sister taxon of Rhinosteus.[2] During the Frasnian, M. occitanus lived off the coast of an island continent, "Armorica," which consisted of portions of what would become Southern France.[3]

Etymology[]

The generic name literally translates as "black bone," the color referring to the translation of Montagne Noire, or "Black Mountains." The specific name refers to Occitania, the region of Southern France where the fossils were found.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c LELIÉVRE, H.; FEIST, R.; GOUJET, D.; BLIECK, A. (1987). "Les vertébrés de la Montagne Noire (Sud de la France) et leur apport á la phylogénie des Pachyostéomorphes (Placodermes, Arthrodires)". Palaeovertebrata. 17: 1–16.
  2. ^ RÜCKLIN, MARTIN (January 14, 2011). "First selenosteid placoderms from the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco; osteology, phylogeny and palaeogeographical implications". Palaeontology. 56 (1): 25–62. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.01026.x.
  3. ^ Long, John A. (1993). Palaeozoic vertebrate biostratigraphy and biogeography. 156: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993. p. 369. ISBN 9780801847790.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)


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