Neopetalichthys Explained

Neopetalichthys yenmenpaensis is an extinct petalichthid placoderm from the Early Devonian of China.

Fossils

The holotype and only known specimen is a poorly preserved partial, and elongated skull from Emsian-aged strata in Sichuan. The skull may be around 8.5cm (03.3inches) in length.^[1]

Phylogeny

Denison 1978 questions Neopetalichthys' placement within Petalichthyida, regarding it as Placodermi incertae sedis, though he does acknowledge that the skull has anatomical features in common with petalichthyids.). According to Zhu's 1991 redescription of Diandongpetalichthys,^[2] Neopetalichthys' status as a petalichthyid is confirmed, though, in that study, it is regarded as a basal incertae sedis.^[3]

Quasipetalichthys is possibly closely related to Neopetalichthys, and may or may not be placed together within Quasipetalichthyidae.

Notes and References

1. Book: Denison, Robert. Placodermi Volume 2 of Handbook of Paleoichthyology. 1978. Gustav Fischer Verlag. Stuttgart New York. 978-0-89574-027-4. 120.
2. Zhu, M. "New information on Diandongpetalichthys (Placodermi: Petalichthyida)." Early vertebrates and related problems of evolutionary biology. Science Press, Beijing (1991): 179-192.
3. A NEW MACROPETALICHTHYID FROM CHINA, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ZOOGEOGRAPHY OF THE MACROPETALICHTHYIDAE (PLACODERMI) . Zhu, Min . Wang, Junqing . amp . Vertebrata PalAsiatica . October 1996 . 34 . 4 . 253–268.