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  • Coelacanthus granulatus Agassiz, 1839


    Images:

    oilshale

    Taxonomy

    Coelacanth

    Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
    Class: Coelacanthimorpha
    Order: Coelacanthiformes Berg 1937
    Family: Coelacanthidae Agassiz 1843
    Genus: Coelacanthus
    Species: Coelacanthus granulatus
    Author Citation Agassiz, 1839

    Geological Time Scale

    Eon: Phanerozoic
    Era: Paleozoic
    Period: Permian
    Sub Period: None
    Epoch: Late
    International Age: Wuchiapingian

    Stratigraphy

    Zechstein Group
    Werra Formation
    Kupferschiefer (Copper Shale)

    Provenance

    Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

    Dimensions

    Length: 60 cm

    Location

    Bad Sachsa
    Lower Saxony
    Germany

    Comments

    Taxonomy from Fossilworks.org.

    Diagnosis from Schaumberg 1978, p.195 (translated from German by oilshale): "Medium to large coelacanthid; moderately slender; head one-fifth of total body length. Endocranium partially ossified in anterior part, well ossified in middle part; basisphenoid with strong processus antoticus; no processus basipterygoidus; basal process of basisphenoid distinctly set off; pleurosphenoids present; ossifications on otico-occipital seem to be absent; parasphenoid broadened in its posterior part; separate vomeres not detectable. Posttemporalia and at least 5 extrascapularia developed; parieto-intertemporalia extend to extrascapularia, they are firmly attached to supratemporalia; parieto-intertemporalia not inseparably fused; frontal and dermosphenoticum form uniform bone stiick; both fronto-dermosphenotica not firmly fused; rostro-nasal zone yon numerous, mostly oval bone plates filled (3 pairs of nasalia, several rostralia resp. postrostralia; rearmost closes "fontanella" between nasalia; lateral boundary by stout laterorostralia and elongate tectal plates). Antorbitals absent; postorbitals weakly developed; squamosum and praeoperculum reduced to narrow ossifications around praeopercular sensory canal; small quadrato-jugal above median pterygoid bulge; operculum large and triangular; pterygoid with long, low, anterior limb and broad, vertical limb; maxillary dentition with pointed conical teeth on 6 praemaxillaries, on dermopalatinum and ectopterygoid, there also dental granulation. Large, posterior, nearly triangular coronoid clamped between praearticulate and angular, its exposed part appearing quadrangular; anterior, low coronoid with strong, conical teeth; other, small coronoids presumably between dentary and praearticular, concealed yon tooth-bearing, granulated dentary plates; upper margin of praearticular set with dense denticles; articular with two articulating pits for quadratum and symplecticum; pronounced processus retroarticularis. 
    Gular plates with elongated median apex; urohyals, ceratohyals, hyomandibulars, ceratobranchialia (probably 4 pairs), and symplecticum present. Shoulder girdle composed of clavicle, cleithrum, separate extracleithrum, anocleithrum, supracleithrum; pectoral fin attached slightly below middle of body flank; pelvic girdle composed of narrow bony ridges widened like plates at distal end; ventral fins opposite to space between basal plates of both dorsalia; Basal plate of anterior dorsal fin oval to triangular; basal plate of posterior dorsal fin smaller, with forked projections directed anteriorly, traces of ossification in segmented fin shaft; basal plate of anal fin small and narrow; caudal fin with axial lobes; fin rays of all fins distally clearly articulated. 
    Large, ossified swim bladder between scapular girdle and anal fin, at level of ventral fins is constricted in a muscular manner. 
    Scales large and thin, longer than high; their klelner, exposed part covered with numerous, longitudinally directed tubercles." 
    The diagnosis of the species corresponds to that of the genus.

    Line drawing from Schaumberg 1978, p. 178:

    69144946_CoelacanthusgranulatusSchdelSchaumberg1978p178.JPG.c539f9a18509475a6496deb4d80bae51.JPG

     

    References:

    L. Agassiz (1843) Recherches Sur Les Poissons Fossiles. Tome I (livr. 18). Imprimerie de Petitpierre, Neuchatel xxxii-188.
    Schaumberg, G. (1978) Neubeschreibung von Coelacanthus granulatus Agassiz (Actinistia, Pisces) aus dem Kupferschiefer von Richelsdorf (Perm, W.-Deutschland). Paläontol. Z. 52, 169.. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02987700.
    H.-P. Schultze (2004) Mesozoic sarcopterygians. Mesozoic Fishes 3 - Systematics, Paleoenvironments and Biodiversity 463-492.
    C. G. Diedrich (2009) A coelacanthid-rich site at Hasbergen (NW Germany): taphonomy and palaeoenvironment of a first systematic excavation in the Kupferschiefer (Upper Permian, Lopingian). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 89:67-94.




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