Ceratodus diutinus, a new ceratodont from Cretaceous and Late Oligocene–Medial Miocene deposits in Australia

Abstract

Ceratodus diutinus, a new species of ceratodont lungfish similar to but not identical withCeratodus kaupiAgassiz, 1838–1844, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Griman Creek Formation at Grawan and Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales, Australia, and the Toolebuc Formation at Canary Station near Boulia in western Queensland. The species also occurred in one Late Oligocene–Middle Miocene deposit at North Prospect, Lake Pinpa, South Australia (Namba Formation). This is the first record from Australia of a species ofCeratodussimilar to the Triassic ceratodonts of Europe. The Australian species lasted much longer than the related European species,C. kaupi, which is restricted to Triassic deposits.