cf. Prosolenostomus lessinii

Taxonomy

Ghost Pipefish

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopteri Cope 1871
Order: Syngnathiformes Berg 1940
Family: Syngnathidae Rafinesque 1810
Genus: Prosolenostomus
Species: cf. Prosolenostomus lessinii

Geological Time Scale

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

Stratigraphy

Monte Bolca Formation

Biostratigraphy

Alveolina dainelli Zone

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Length: 10 cm

Location

Monte Bolca Lagerstatte
Bolca near Verona
Veneto
Italy

• eocene
• false pipefish
• monte bolca
• pesciara
• prosolenostomus
• tff-oilshale-ch574

Comments

Taxonomy from Bannikov & Carnevale, 2017.

Bannikov & Carnevale 2017, p. 319:" Its type species, †P. lessinii Blot, 1980, was described based on a single partially complete specimen in the collections of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Verona (Blot, 1980, p. 365; pl. VI, fig. 3). Subsequently, an additional incomplete specimen housed in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, was referred to †P. lessinii and figured by Frickhinger, 1991, p. 769); however, this specimen lacks the characteristic cranial horn emerging just above the orbit considered diagnostic by Blot (1980)."

Photo of the holotype of Prosolenostomus lessinii  in Bannikoy & Carnevale 2017, p. 320:

This here is the third known specimen of Prosolenostomus.  Like the specimen from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, illustrated by Frickhinger 1991, p. 769, this Prosolenostomus has no cranial horn, and is therefore a new, as yet undescribed species.
A. Bannikov wrote (personal communication, 13.12.2021) " the "cranial horn" is not a conservation artifact, but a genuine diagnostic feature. Therefore your specimen belongs to the till undescribed taxon. Overall, pipefishes are very rare in Monte Bolca."

Diagnosis for the genus Prosolenostomus from Blot, 1980, p. 365 (translated from French by oilshale); "Very elongated body. Cuirass constituted by cruciform scutes, imbricated the ones in the others, delimiting more or less abundantly reticulated beaches. Very large branchial opening. Short head with very high rostral tube and terminal mouth; very strong mandibles. A rather high horn rises above the orbit. "
Identified as cf. Prosolenostomus sp. by A. Bannikov (Borisyak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences).

References:

Blot J., (1980) La faune ichthyologique des gisements du Monte Bolca (province de Verone, Italie) : catalogue systematique presentant l´etat actuel des recherches concernant cette faune. Bulletin du Muséum national d´histoire naturelle. Section C, sciences de la terre, paléontologie, géologie, minéralogie, 4. serie, 2(4): 339-396.

Frickhinger, K.-A (1991) Fossilien Atlas - Fische. Melle Mergus, ISBN 10: 388244018XISBN 13: 9783882440188

Alexandre F. BANNIKOV & Giorgio CARNEVALE (2017) Eocene ghost pipefishes (Teleostei, Solenostomidae) from Monte Bolca, Italy. Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, 56 (3), 2017, 319-331. Modena.