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Showing results for tags 'protopsephurus'.
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From the album: Vertebrates
Protopsephurus liui LU, 1994 Early Cretaceous Linyuan Liaoning PRC Length is around 71cm -
From the album: Chondrichthyes
This is a closeup of the skull of this Protopsephurus liui. You can easily see here the namesake of the paddlefish: the long paddle-shaped rostrum. Scientists first thought the fish would use the paddle to sift through stones searching for food. This is why the name Protopsephurus was used because it translates to "first pebble bearer" (can also be considered as "first pebble holder"). Nowadays we know this is not how the rostrum was used. Tiny hair sensors line the rostrum, and these sensors act as a hyper sensitive radar. The eyesight of paddlefish is considered relatively poor so the animal would need these sensors to hunt successfully. Other notable features here are the wide fenestrae and the gapping jaw. The fenestrae were likely designed to be wide so the skull would be lighter, the reduced weight would help the fish with making quick movements. The wide jaw is clearly here in this specimen (the curve shaped bone towards the bottom of the skull). The fish would open its gaping maw and suck down any food it could fit in its mouth. Prey items would have been small invertebrates and small fish.- 1 comment
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From the album: Chondrichthyes
This is a closeup image of the extensive soft tissue preserved in this specimen: skin. The skin of this animal can visually be seen as bumpy, with tiny pits. The pits are infact a highly advanced system of sensory pores. The pores could detect the slightest amount of disturbance in the water aiding the fish in hunting. This combined with the sensors on the rostrum made for a remarkable radar system designed to help the fish hunt for the smallest of invertebrates. The flamboyant pectoral fins are visible here aswell. Pretty cool. -
From the album: Chondrichthyes
This is a close up of the Caudal and anal fins. Note the preservation of bones. Paddlefish only have bones in their fins and skull, the rest of the body is composed mainly of cartilage. -
Taxonomy from Grande et al. 2002. The order of Acipenseriformes (Sturgeon-like fishes) both includes sturgeons (Acipenseridae) and paddlefish (Polyodontidae). At least three Sturgeon-like fishes (Acipenseriformes) can be found in the Jiufotang Formation (Jehol Group) and in the Yixian Formation in western Liaoning and northern Hebei Province China: Peipiaosteus pani Liu and Zhou 1965, Protopsephurus liui Lu, 1994 and Yanosteus longidorsalis Jin, Tian, Yang & Deng, 1995. The Jiufotang Formation - where Peipiaosteus comes from - is dated to about 120.3+/-0.7 million years ago, which was during the Aptian age of the Cretaceous; the Yixian Formation - where this Protopsephurus liui and Y. longidorsalis can be found - is dated slightly older, around 125-121 million years ago (Barremian-early Aptian). Protopsephurus liui Lu 1994 is both the oldest and the most primitive paddlefish (Polyodontidae) known. Paddlefishes remain one of the strongest indicators of historical biogeographic connection between East Asia and North America. Fossil and living members of this family date from the Early Cretaceous and Recent in China, and from the Late Cretaceous, Early Paleocene, Early Eocene and Recent in North America. The total length of Protopsephurus normally is in the range of 20 to 30cm, but can exceed 1m. Line drawing from Grande et al 2002, p. 218: References: Lu, L. (1994): A new paddlefish from the Upper Jurassic of Northeast China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 1994, Vol. 32, Teil 2, pp134-142 Liu, H., Zhou J. (1965): A new Sturgeon from the Upper Jurassic of Liaoning, North China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica Vol. 9, No. 3, 1965, p. 237 ff. Zhou, Z.(1992): Review on Peipiaosteus based on new materials of P. pani. Vertebrata PalAsiatica Vol 30, No. 2, pp 85-101. Grande, L., Jin, F., Yabumoto, Y. & Bemis, W. E. (2002) Protopsephurus liui, a well-preserved primitive paddlefish (Acipenseriformes: Polyodontidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of China, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 22:2, 209-237, DOI: 10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0209:PLAWPP]2.0.CO;2
