Leptolepis Nevadensis, a New Cretaceous Fish Author(S): Lore David Source: Journal of Paleontology, Vol
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Leptolepis nevadensis, a New Cretaceous Fish Author(s): Lore David Source: Journal of Paleontology, Vol. 15, No. 3 (May, 1941), pp. 318-321 Published by: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1298900 Accessed: 09-08-2021 23:07 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at https://about.jstor.org/terms SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Paleontology This content downloaded from 131.215.71.167 on Mon, 09 Aug 2021 23:07:04 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY, VOL. 15, No. 3, PP. 318-321, 2 TEXT FIGS., MAY, 1941 LEPTOLEPIS NEVADENSIS, A NEW CRETACEOUS FISH LORE DAVID California Institute of Technology ABsTRACT-Leptolepis nevadensis n. sp., the first known species of the genus from North America, is described from the "Weber conglomerates" east of Eureka, Nevada. The advanced characters of the structure of the fish suggest Cretaceous age. DR. S. A. BERTHIAUME while on field work Family LEPTOLEPIDAE in Nevada during the summer of 1939 LEPTOLEPIS NEVADENSIS David, n. sp. discovered a deposit containing fish and Figures 1, 2 plant fossils in the so-called "Weber con- Holotype.-A specimen 41 +9 =50 mm. in glomerates" east of Eureka. These beds length, no. 10138, California Institute of have not yielded fossil material heretofore. Technology Coll. Vertebrate Paleontology. They were originally mapped as Upper Car- Paratypes.-Ten specimens 33+ 7 =40 to boniferous, but this age seemed open to 48+ 10 =58 mm. in length and a number of question. Hence the present material, since more or less fragmentary specimens. All it can be identified, is of some significance from Cornell University locality 38C. in throwing light on the age of the formation Diagnosis.-Body 5.75-6.5 mm. in stand- in which it occurs. The fish material has ard length, head 3.6 mm., orbit a little more been kindly sent to us by Dr. C. W. Mer- than 3 in head; 49 to 50 vertebrae; D. = 14 to riam. Fortunately the specimens are for 15; the A. =9; V=8, below posterior part of most part well preserved. They indicate dorsal the fin base; P. =14; C.=38. Nine well-known genus Leptolepis Agassiz. Thehypurals, five below, four above median structural characters of the Nevadan species line; two epurals. suggest that the deposits in which it occurs Description.-Body elongate, depth 5 - are Lower Cretaceous in age. (6?) in standard length, caudal peduncle 2 I am indebted to Dr. Chester Stock of the greatest depth. Head 3 in standard length, California Institute of Technology for ad- elongate 1 as long as deep. Orbit large vice and for a critical reading of the manu- (possibly ovoid in shape), slightly more script. than 3 in head. The structure of the headbones, in general, DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL does not differ apparently from that de- The material in the present collection scribed con-in detail by Rayner (1938). The sists of several complete specimens and parasphenoid is always distinct, rising up- numerous fragments. The species seems ward toward the front, and situated rather abundant in the region, since the different low in most specimens, cutting through the slabs now at hand indicate the presence of abasal part of the orbit. Maxillary with two number of additional specimens in part well-developed supramaxillaries; lower jaw visible on other bedding planes. The ma- typical for genus, with highly arched den- terial shows an excellent preservation of de- tary. No teeth can be seen. The ceratohyale tails especially in the fins and vertebral distinct in several specimens with 10 column. Most of the bones of the head can- branchiostegals. Opercular arch as in Lep- not be distinguished with satisfaction. The tolepis, opercular 1 as deep as long, with a proportions of the body of this small species pronounced diagonal lower border, lower have suffered slightly from distortion; theanterior corner sharply pointed. type shows best the normal proportions in Vertebrae 34 to 35+15 =49 to 50. Verte- this fish. Some of the syntypes have been brae pierced by notochord, which is covered lengthened in a post-mortem stage. The by a layer of dark ossified material. The material is preserved in a siliceous shale, vertebrae constricted in middle, where thinly laminated and of a buff to gray color. neural and haemal arches originate, the 318 This content downloaded from 131.215.71.167 on Mon, 09 Aug 2021 23:07:04 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms LEPTOLEPIS NEVADENSIS, A NEW CRETACEOUS FISH 319 FIG. 1-Leptolepis nevadensis David, n.sp. a, Holotype, no. 10138 Calif. Inst. Tech. Coll. Vert. Paleont.; b, no. 10137, X2. Fr., frontal; Dent., dentary, Mx., maxillary; Op., opercular; Par., parietal; pop., preopercular; psph., parasphenoid; smx., supramaxillary; so., supraorbital; sop., subopercular. anterior and posterior extremities(zygapoph- and ventrally. The haemal processes of the yses?) of the vertebrae projecting into point- last five vertebrae extend ventrally from the ed edges. Abdominal neural processes feeble centra for a distance of one-fifth their and short, very delicate intermuscular bones length and then only are directed poste- lying across; numerous arched and strong riorly at a sharp angle, forming enlarged, ribs extend to ventral border of body. dagger-shaped hypurals; the end of the ven- Structure of tail end of column clearly shown on a small tail fragment, no. 10131 California Inst. Technology Coll. Verte- brate Paleontology (fig. 1). Structure ap- proaches homocerque tail of modern clu- peids; only last six vertebrae taking part in structure of tail have prolonged and strong haemal and neural processes. Urostyle slender, pointed; nine hypurals, two more haemal arches prolonged into base of caudal rays; five hypurals below, four above me- FIG. 2-Leptolepis nevadensis David, n. sp. Tail end of vertebral column, X4. c, Last verte- dian line; two small epurals, a horizontal bral centrum; ep, epurals; hy, hypurals; snp, rod preceding first caudal fulcra dorsally specialized neural processes; ur, urostyle. This content downloaded from 131.215.71.167 on Mon, 09 Aug 2021 23:07:04 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms 320 LORE DA VID tral extension forms a sharp projection in L. congolensis Arambourg and Schneegans pointed forward. (1935) from the bituminous schists of Dorsal rays 14-15: the first two Coccobeach or three in French Gabon, and evidently short and simple, following rays tobranched, that of the related species, L. formosus third or fourth ray longest, two-thirds Traquair, fromto the Wealden of Barnissart, three-fourths of head. Dorsal inserted in Belgium, and of L. neocomiensis Bassani middle of body or slightly nearer tip from of the Cenomanian and Albian, Island of snout. Ventral rays 8: the first strong Lesina, and Dalmatia. The Purbeckian species simple, fin three-fifths to two-thirds of L.head, brodiei Agassiz is said to be related to originating below posterior part of dorsalthese. Judging from the illustrations, how- base. Pelvic girdle short, its anterior point ever, the caudal structure of this species not reaching below origin of dorsal. Anal seems less specialized. Further evidence of rays 9: longest not longer than ventral, a analCretaceous stage of development of L. fin near to caudal base, distance of anal nevadensis is shown in the following char- origin to caudal base 1? in distance from acters: vertebrae of transitional type in de- origin of ventrals to origin of anal. Pectoral gree of perforation by the notochord; the with 14 rays, longest ray not longer than branchiostegals are reduced; the ganoine ventral, fin situated near ventral border of cover of the scales appears to have been body. Caudal rays 26+6 pair of fulcra, 38; thin; and the dorsal fin is situated over the two middle rays spaced from neighboring middle of the body. rays, prolonged above hypurals. Fin three- As to the immediate affinities of the new fourths of length of head, distinctly furcated, species nothing very close seems to be middle rays one-half of longest outer known. The small species with a relatively rays. large orbit may be immature. In its slender Body stained dark with an irregular scale- body and larger number of vertebrae it like pattern. No scales are evident. differs from any known species of Leptolepis Affinities of species.-The well-known (49 or 50). One fragmentary specimen is of genus Leptolepis Agassiz is widely dis- much larger size; it may or may not belong tributed in Europe and is known from to the same species. The structure of the Africa. The genus is first known from the vertebral column, although comparable in Jurassic (Upper Lias) and continues into the degree of transformation of the tail to that Cretaceous; it has not been reported from in L. congolensis Arambourg and Schnee- deposits younger than Mesocretaceous. gans, shows evident differences in details. Jurassic species of the genus represented by The last five haemal processes in L. congo- the group of L. coryphaenoides Bronn ( =L. lensis do not show the distinctive ventral bronni Agassiz), including L. sprattiformis, and anterior processes of L. nevadensis, the L. dubius Agassiz and numerous others, are structure and number of hypurals is differ- very different from Cretaceous species.