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Taxonomy from Fossilworks.org. Diagnosis for Whiteia woodwardi from Moy-Thomas 1935, p. 215: "Medium sized or small slender Coelacanths. Head relatively large. Skull with triangular operculars and preoperculars, quadrato-jugals, squamosals, postorbitals, lacrimo-jugals, supra- temporals, parietals, five extra scapular (post-parietal) plates and the angular ornamented with numerous tubercles. The coronoids are dumb-bell shaped and unornamented. The dermosphenotics (post frontals) are separate from the frontals, and the supraorbital series are pierced by large lateral line pores. Circumorbital ring well developed. Parasphenoid rather broad. Pterygoids with wide anterior limb and apparantly no notch in their dorsal margin. All the lepidotrichia of the anterior dorsal fin, and at least the most anterior of the dorsal and ventral lobes of the caudal fin ornamented with two rows of denticles. Pelvic fins situated behind the anterior dorsal fin about half-way between the two dorsal fins. Anal fin behind the posterior dorsal fin. Scales ornamented with tubercles, elongated tubercles, short ridges, or ridges stretching the whole length of the exposed area of the scales. This ornament runs approximately antero-posteriorly." References: Moy-Thomas, J. A. (1935) The coelacanth fishes from Madagascar. Geological magazine 72:213-226. Woodward, A.S. (1910) On some Permo-Carboniferous Fishes from Madagascar. Ann. Mag. Natur. Hist., ser. 8, 5: 1-6. Beltan, L. (1980a) Eotrias du Nord-Ouest de Madagascar: Etude de quelques poissons, don’t un est en parturition. Ann Soc. Geol. Nord, 99: 453-464; Lille.