New Genera and Species of Myripristid Fishes, in the Gulf Coast Cenozoic, Known from Otoliths (Pisces, Beryciformes)

Authors

Language(s)

English

Abstract

Studies of fossil and Recent otoliths (sagittae) supply an important line of evidence, bearing on classification of teleost fishes, supplementary to that of anatomy, osteology, and "phylogenetic" paleoichthyology.

Squirrelfishes ( " Holocentridae" of authors) are generalized forms in which evolutionary divergence of some mag nitude is reflected in unpreservable details of anatomy, inconspicuous skeletal structures, and striking differentiation of the sagittae. Otoliths show the holocentroid complex to consist of one homogeneous unit (l\fyripristidae, elevated) and another more heterogeneous group (Holocentridae, restricted). These lineages have been separate. at least since the middle Eocene.

A revised classification, based on available lines of evidence in addition to that of otoliths, is proposed. (***=known only from fossil skeletal material; **=known only from fossil otoliths; *=Recent otoliths examined.)

Holocentridae (restricted): *** Holocentroides Pauca; *** Holocentrites Conrad; *Holocentrus Scopoli ; Flammeo Jordan and Evermann, with subgenera Flammeo s. s., *Adioryx Starks, and *Sargocentron Fowler.

Myripristidae (elevated from Myripristinae Nelson, 1955): • **Stintonia, new genus; **Weileria, new genus; *Myripristis Cuvier; Corniger Agassiz; Holotrachys Gunther; *Ostichthys Cuv. and Val.; *Plectrypops Gill.

New genera are proposed as follows:

Stintonia, new genus: S. brazosia, new species; S. Creola, new species; • S. dimidiata (Bassoli); S. glendonensis, new species; S. matoschi (Schubert); S. priemi (Schubert) (type); and S. radiata (Weiler). The genus is known in the middle Eocene of the United States, the upper Eocene of the United States and western Europe, the Oligocene of the United States and Germany, and the Miocene of Germany.

Weileria, new genus.: W. banatica (Weiler); W. brandonis, new species; W. Cajun, new species; W. insignis. (Koken); and W. Louisiana, new species (type). The genus is known in the upper Eocene of the United States, the Oligocene of the United States and Germany, and the Miocene of Germany.

Publication Date

October 1961

Recommended Citation

(1961) "New Genera and Species of Myripristid Fishes, in the Gulf Coast Cenozoic, Known from Otoliths (Pisces, Beryciformes)," School of Mines and Metallurgy Bulletins: Vol. 1961: No. 100, Article 1.
Available at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/msm_bulletins/vol1961/iss100/1