A New Genus of Elephant Fish (Holocephali: Callorhinchidae) from the Late Jurassic of Central Russia

Abstract

Abstract: This article describes Moskovirhynchus robustus gen. et sp. nov., a new genus and species of elephant fish from two Upper Jurassic (Boreal middle Volgian Substage, virgatus Zone) localities of Moscow and the Moscow region, based on isolated mandibular, palatine and vomerine dental plates. The dentition of the new genus bears a morphological resemblance to that of the Recent elephant fish genus Callorhinchus Lacepède, 1798, but is characterized by a mosaic combination of primitive (on palatine tooth plates) and advanced (on both palatine and mandibular plates) dental characters—e.g., presence of asymmetrical bifurcated median tritor on mandibular plates and reduced tritors on palatine plates (an advanced condition for callorhinchids) together with a well-developed aboral area of palatine plate (a primitive condition). The new taxon, known only from dental elements, represents the oldest representative of the Callorhinchidae sensu stricto.