A new genus of ptyctodont (Placodermi) from the Late Devonian of Baltic area

[摘要] The ptyctodont fish first referred to as Chelyophorus pskovensisObruchev, 1947 from the Early Frasnian (Late Devonian) of Velikaya River, Pskov Region, Russia, is redescribed following the collection of additional materials from the contemporaneous Meeksi Mill outcrop, Estonia; Piskovichi and Snetnaya Gora outcrops, Russia and is here referred to Meeksiella gen. nov. With the exception of an articulated skull roof, the fossils occur as three dimensionally preserved isolated plates, and this has allowed accurate reconstruction of the dermal skeleton. A phylogenetic analysis resolvesMeeksiella pskovensis gen. et sp. nov. within a previously recovered cluster of taxa which includes Ctenurella from Europe and Austroptyctodus from Western Australia, demonstrating global distribution of this clade during the Late Devonian.

[学科分类] 地质学

[关键词] Kate Trinajstic;John A. Long;Alexander O. Ivanov;and Elga Mark-Kurik;new genus;Placoderm;Ptyctodont;phylogeny;Frasnian;Estonia;Pskov Region