A revision of the Late Jurassic fish Aphnelepis australis from the Talbragar Fossil Fish Bed of New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

The discovery of an exceptionally preserved specimen of the Mesozoic teleost fish Aphnelepis australis from the upper Kimmeridgian (Upper Jurassic) Talbragar Fossil Fish Bed in New South Wales, together with historic confusion over its phylogenetic affinities, has prompted a detailed reassessment of the taxon. The new specimen of A. australis is skeletally complete and exhibits the dorsal fin with long principal dorsal fin rays and characteristic squamation comprising heavy rhombic scales anterior to insertions of the dorsal fin and anal fin, and much lighter and thinner weakly crenulate scales on the posterior half of the body. A cladistic analysis resolves A. australis as a member of Archaeomenidae, along with Archaeomene tenuis, Wadeichthys oxyops, Oreochima ellioti, Gurvanichthys mongoliensis, Zaxilepis quinglongensis, and Aphnelepis australis. Lynne B. Bean [lynne.bean@anu.edu.au ], Research School of Earth Sciences, 142 Mills Road, Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.