Amphiperca multiformis WEITZEL, 1933

Taxonomy

Perch

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopteri Cope 1871
Order: Perciformes Bleeker 1859
Family: Incertae sedis
Genus: Amphiperca
Species: Amphiperca multiformis
Author Citation WEITZEL, 1933

Geological Time Scale

Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Paleogene
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Eocene
International Age: Lutetian, Lower Geiseltalian

Stratigraphy

Messel Formation

Provenance

Collector: T. Bastelberger
Date Collected: 06/01/1968
Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Location

Grube Messel
Messel near Darmstadt
Hessia
Germany

• amphiperca
• eocene
• messel
• perch
• tff-oilshale-ch24

Comments

Taxonomy from Micklich 1987.

Extended and corrected genus diagnosis by Micklich 1987, p. 55 (translated from German by oilshale): "High-backed Percoidei; scales ctenoid, in fine structure corresponding to type l of the classification scheme of MCCULLY (1961). Scaling extended to posterior portions of skull roof and cheek region, there increasingly cycloid; mandibles and lacrimals free. Head distinctly shorter than maximum body width; the latter usually 45%, in some cases exceeding 50% of standard length. Lateroethmoid with two palatinate articulations. Frontalia and parietalia smooth, without bony longitudinal or transverse cristae; frontal section of sensory canal system largely enclosed by bone, with a total of 5 pores. Supraoccipitals reaching between posterior ends of frontalia; supraoccipital crest relatively steeply ascending, with lateral longitudinal ridge [,,lateral ledge"]. Lacrimal large, smooth-margined, with sensory canal almost completely enclosed by bone; total of 4 sensory pores. Subocular supporting lamella [,,subocular shelf"] (probably) present. Palatines each with two separate neurocranial articular facets; underside uniformly and densely covered with fine, pointed denticles; ectopterygoids edentulous. Maxillary dentition like that of Palatina, without enlarged canines. Maxillary much longer than praemaxillary, caudally broadened and reaching posterior to orbital midline; supramaxillary present. Coronoid process of dentary pointed posteriorly. Large-sized specimens with intense surface sculptures on angular [angulo-articulare]; at least in these also completely closed ceratohyal foramen [,,berycoid foramen"]. Length/width ratio of urohyal decreasing with size growth. 6 Branchiostegalia. Posterior margin of praeoperculum increasingly coarsely toothed towards angle, but without strong horizontal spine; lower margin with three strong, reddish spines, these further subdivided especially in large animals. Operculum ending in two flattened spine processes. Pharyngeal bones and gill arches set with fine pointed teeth; these, however, not evenly spaced on gill arches, but subdivided into roundish individual groups [,,supralamellar toothplates"]. Dorsal fin continuous, with IX-X + 12 rays. Three spineless praedorsalia present, anteriormost in typical case situated anterior to spinous process of first trunk vertebra; remaining inserted between follower euracanths. First to third dorsal-fin spines with common fin-carrier, this with last praedorsal situated in same intervertebral space. Longest dorsal-fin spine shorter than lepidotrichia of soft-rayed section, this in turn reaching about halfway up pinna caudalis. Caudal fin rounded; 17 main rays (9/8), of which 15 are branched; base of uppermost marginal ray in ventrallobus with "procurrent spur". Caudal supporting skeleton with 3 (? 2) epuralia; urodermal [additional, second uroneural] absent. Analis with lll + 8-9 rays; first spine ray shortest, length ratios of other two partially varying. Pterygophores of all three anal-fin spines fused to form uniform hea maxanal complex fused, this axially in intense contact with processus spinosus ventralis of anteriormost praeural center. Length of anal soft fin rays consistent with those of D 2. Posttemporal, supracleithrum and cleithrum smooth-margined. Pectoral fins with ca. 15 soft rays extending beyond hemaxanal complex and 4 radialia; these either exclusively in contact with scapular or at most one also connected with the coracoid. Pectoral base slightly caudad offset from pelvic bones, processus medialis posterior [,,ischiac process"] long, reaching ca. 19-20 % of total pelvic length; pelvis with one spine and 5 jointed and branched soft rays. 27-28 (10-11 + 16-17) vertebrae; epipleuralia present in abdominal portion of vertebral column, hea mal canal already closed at last abdominal center."

Identified by oilshale.

References:

Weitzel, K. (1933b): Amphiperca multiformis n. g. n. sp. und Thaumaturus intermedius n. sp., Knochenfische aus dem Mittel-Eozän von Messel. Notizblatt des Vereins für Erdkunde und der Hessischen Geologischen Landesanstalt zu Darmstadt, (5) 14: 89-97.

Micklich, N. (1987) Neue Beiträge zur Morphologie, Ökologie und Systematik Messeler Knochenfische. Cour. Forsch.-Inst. Senckenberg 91: 35-106.