Myledaphus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Myledaphus
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous 94.3–66 Ma
Myledaphus.jpg
Tooth of M. bipartitus
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Rhinopristiformes
Family: Rhinobatidae
Genus: †Myledaphus
Cope, 1876
Species
  • †M. bipartitus Cope, 1876
  • †M. araucanus Otero, 2019[1]
Myledaphus skeleton in ventral view.

Myledaphus is a genus of Late Cretaceous cartilaginous fish whose fossils are known from Canada, the Midwest of the United States, Olmos Formation of the Difunta Group of Mexico, and the and Bissekty Formations of Uzbekistan.[2] It was a freshwater guitarfish that probably reached a length of 3 feet (91 cm), and had teeth adapted for a durophagous diet of animals such as clams.[3] Most taxonomic authories place the genus in the Rhinobatidae. Two species are known: Myledaphus bipartitus, the type species, and Myledaphus araucanus, named in 2019.

Fossils and age[]

The most common remains of this fish are teeth and vertebra. A study performed on Myledaphus vertebra from Alberta in 2013 revealed that Myledaphus had an estimated maximum age of 16 years. This means that Myledaphus had a shorter lifespan than that of the modern common guitarfish, by a difference of 8 years.[4]

See also[]

  • List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish

References[]

  1. ^ Rodrigo A. Otero (2019). "Myledaphus araucanus sp. nov. (Batomorphi, Rajiformes incertae sedis), a new Late Cretaceous ray from the austral Pacific, and first occurrence of the genus in the Southern Hemisphere". Cretaceous Research. 100: 82–90. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2019.03.025.
  2. ^ "Fossilworks: Myledaphus". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Myledaphus bipartitus" (PDF). North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources.
  4. ^ Wilson, Alycia E.; Newbrey, Michael G.; Brinkman, Donald B.; Cook, Todd D.; Neuman, Andrew G. (2013-06-10). "Age and growth in Myledaphus bipartitus, a Late Cretaceous freshwater guitarfish from Alberta, Canada". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 50 (9): 930–944. Bibcode:2013CaJES..50..930W. doi:10.1139/cjes-2013-0001. ISSN 0008-4077.

Further reading[]

  • Hunt, ReBecca K., Vincent L. Santucci and Jason Kenworthy. 2006. "A preliminary inventory of fossil fish from National Park Service units." in S.G. Lucas, J.A. Spielmann, P.M. Hester, J.P. Kenworthy, and V.L. Santucci (ed.s), Fossils from Federal Lands. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 34, pp. 63–69.


Stub icon

This article about a prehistoric cartilaginous fish is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Retrieved from ""