The Jurassic and Cretaceous bony fish record (Actinopterygii, Dipnoi) from Thailand

Abstract

This first overview of the bony fish record from the Jurassic and Cretaceous continental deposits of Thailand reveals a significant diversity, with 16 taxa in four formations (the Khlong Min, Phu Kradung, Sao Khua and Khok Kruat Fms). Four of these taxa have already been diagnosed and described, and a couple of others are sufficiently well preserved to be diagnosed in the future. The other taxa are represented at present by fragmentary and isolated remains. The highest diversity is observed among ‘semionotids’, which occur in the four formations. Sinamiids are represented by at least three taxa that occur only in the Sao Khua and the Khok Kruat Formations. Pycnodont fishes are known by rare and isolated dentitions and teeth in the Khlong Min and Sao Khua Formations, and lungfishes referred to Ferganoceratodus occur in the Khlong Min and the Phu Kradung Formations. The assemblages provide few palaeogeographical indications at present, except for evidence of relationships with China and Central Asia. However, it is expected than once the phylogenetic relationships of these taxa are resolved, we will be able to reconstruct precise palaeogeographical scenarios.

Shark faunas from the Late Jurassic—Early Cretaceous of northeastern Thailand

“…It is thus probably an immigrant from China. The bony fish faunas, as well as the turtle and dinosaur assemblages of the Phu Kradung Formation, also support faunal exchanges between China and Thailand during the Late Jurassic (Cavin et al 2003a(Cavin et al , 2009Buffetaut and Suteethorn 2007;Tong et al 2009a).…”

“…In addition to the shark teeth described below, the site has yielded actinopterygian scales and teeth, turtle shell fragments, crocodile remains, including cf. Theriosuchus, theropod bones and teeth as well as a possible hypsilophodontid tooth (Cavin et al 2009;Lauprasert et al 2011).…”

Scale morphology and specialized dorsal scales of a new teleosteomorph fish from the Aptian of West Gondwana

“…1 of the La Cantera Formation present a well-developed dorsal peg, but they lack an anterodorsal process. The same pattern occurs, for example, in the Macrosemiiformes (e.g., Macrosemius, Propterus, and Legnonotus; Schultze, 1966;Vullo et al, 2009); however, this pattern differs from lepisosteiforms and most semionotiforms (e.g., Cavin et al, 2009;López-Arbarello, 2012;Gibson, 2013), which possess anterodorsal or anteroventral processes. Stem teleosts and a few more advanced ones with ganoid scales also present a peg for articulation in a dorsal position (e.g., Vinctifer comptoni, Jonoichthys challwa, Pholidophorus latiusculus, Knerichthys bronni, Pholidoctenus serianus, Catervariollus hornemani, Siemensichthys macrocephalus, and Dorsetichthys bechei; Schultze, 1966;Brito, 1997;Arratia, 2000Arratia, , 2013Taverne, 2011;Gouiric-Cavalli, 2015).…”

A Jurassic pleuropholid fish (Teleostei, Pleuropholidae) in the Tethys Sea domain of North America

“…However, it is possible to reach its accurate taxonomical identification within the order Lepisosteiformes, as it was recently defined by López-Arbarello (2012). If characteristics 84, 85, 86, and 55 are considered, this specimen shows one of the unambiguous synapomorphies of the order Lepisosteiformes, its scales have two processes forming their rostro-caudal articulation (state 2 of 12 character 86) (also see Cavin et al, 2009). Additionally, the scales of this specimen show a wide rounded vertical articulation; these conditions differ from those present in the lepisosteiformes crown taxa, whose scales have the peg-and-socket vertical articulation reduced or absent in the superfamily Lepisosteoidea (state 1 of character 85,) and a strong posteriorly directed spine in the suborder Lepisosteoidei (state 1 of character 84).…”