Elongofuro and Altmuehlfuro, new genera of Halecomorphi (Neopterygii) from the Upper Jurassic of the Solnhofen Archipelago and Nusplingen (Germany)

Abstract

Ophiopsiformes are ganoin-scaled Halecomorphi from the Mesozoic. In the Upper Jurassic, there is a high diversity of at least eight described genera (Altmuehlfuro new, Brachyichthys, Cerinichthys, Elongofuro new, Ophiopsiella, Ophiopsis, Schernfeldfuro, Zandtfuro) plus additional fish species historically assigned to "Furo", which have not yet been revised. Recent examinations showed that fish called "Furo" are not monophyletic. Here I provide a complete morphological de- scription of two new genera and new species (Altmuehlfuro boomerang, Elongofuro woelflei) from the Upper Jurassic Plattenkalk deposits of the Solnhofen Archipelago and of Nusplingen (both southern Germany), respectively, together with a comparison of some morphological features of Ophiopsiformes. The new species are characterized by a combination of morphological characters: differences in body proportions, relative position of the fins, the morphology of several skull bones, squamation pattern, position of lateral line in the caudal area and some meristic characters (e. g., number of fin rays, and number of maxillary teeth). This is a further step to enlighten the broader patterns of basal halecomorph evolution.