Lyell Collection
Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Lyell Centre  |   Lyell Collection  |   Subscriptions   |   Geological Society  |   Email alerts  |   Online bookshop  |   Help

Keywords:
Author:
Advanced search>>
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Brito, P. M.
Right arrow Articles by Alvarado-Ortega, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
GeoRef
Right arrow GeoRef Citation
Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 2008; v. 295; p. 145-154;
DOI: 10.1144/SP295.9
© 2008 Geological Society of London

The Break-up of Pangaea: Jurassic and Cretaceous

A new species of Placidichthys (Halecomorphi: Ionoscopiformes) from the Lower Cretaceous Marizal Formation, northeastern Brazil, with a review of the biogeographical distribution of the Ophiopsidae

Paulo M. Brito & Jesús Alvarado-Ortega

Departamento de Biologia Animal e Vegetal, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20559-900, Brazil (e-mail: pbritopaleo{at}yahoo.com.br)

A new halecomorph fish is described from the Early Cretaceous Marizal Formation of Tucano Basin. This new material is identified as a new species of Placidichthys, P. tucanensis sp. nov. based on the absence of an anal fin, the lower number of flank scales in the caudal region, the slender shape of the body, and body proportions. Placidichthys tucanensis sp. nov. increases the distribution and diversity of ophiopsids in the western part of the Tethys Sea, being distributed along the epicontinental seas of Gondwana.

Placidichthys is considered the sister-taxon of the exclusively Cretaceous taxa Teoichthys+Macrepistius from the western Tethys. These groups show a discernible geographical distribution pattern with Placidichthys known only from the Southern margin of the Tethys region (South America), whilst Teoichthys and Macrepistius are known only from North America and possibly Europe.