Rhamphognathus paralepoides Agassiz, 1844

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata Haeckel 1874
Class: Actinopteri Cope 1871
Order: Atheriniformes Rosen 1966
Family: Rhamphognathidae
Genus: Rhamphognathus
Species: Rhamphognathus paralepoides
Author Citation Agassiz, 1844

Geological Time Scale

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

Stratigraphy

Monte Bolca Formation

Biostratigraphy

Discoaster sublodoensis Zone

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Length: 35 cm

Location

Monte Bolca Quarry
Bolca (Village)
Veneto (Province)
Italy

• eocene
• italy
• monte bolca
• rhamphognathus paralepoides
• tff-oilshale-ch2279

Comments

Taxonomy according to fossilworks.org.

Diagnosis for the genus from Bannikov 2008, p. 79: "Body depth is 13-14 times in SL; head length 2.9 times in SL; teeth moderate, conical; 56 vertebrae; 2 epurals; epaxial hypurals unfused; distance between dorsal fins exceeds distance between second dorsal and caudal fin; 12 to 13 interdorsal bones between dorsal fins; a spine and 7 or 8 soft rays in second dorsal fin; a spine and 9 or 10 soft rays in anal fin; second dorsal fin originates not less than 2 vertebrae behind anal-fin origin; pectoral fins short, with 13 or 14 rays; 6-rayed pelvic fins moderate, situated about 4 vertebrae anterior to first dorsal-fin origin; pectoral to pelvic fin distance less than pelvic to anal fin distance."
Line drawing from Bannikov 2008, p. 83:

Identified by oilshale using Bannikov 2008. Confirmed by A. F. Bannikov, Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.

References:

Agassiz, L. (1835) Recherches Sur Les Poissons Fossiles. Tome IV (livr. 4). Imprimerie de Petitpierre, Neuchatel 33-52.

Bannikov A.F., (2008e). Revision of the atheriniform fish genera Rhamphognathus Agassiz and Mesogaster Agassiz (Teleostei) from the Eocene of Bolca, northern Italy. Miscellanea Paleontologica n. 9. Studi e Ricerche sui Giacimenti Terziari di Bolca, 12: 77-97.

Carnevale, G., Bannikov, A. F., Marramá, G., Tyler, J. C. and Zorzin, R. (2014): The Pesciara-Monte Postale Fossil-Lagerstätte: 2. Fishes and other vertebrates. Rendiconti della Società Paleontologica Italiana 4:37-63.

Bannikov. A. F. (2014): The systematic composition of the Eocene actinopterygian fish fauna from Monte Bolca, northern Italy, as known to date. Studi e ricerche sui giacimenti terziari di Bolca, XV - Miscellanea paleontologica 12:23-34.