Scanilepis

Scanilepis Temporal range: Rhaetian-Hettangian ~203–199 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	†Scanilepiformes
Family:	†Scanilepididae
Genus:	†Scanilepis Aldinger, 1935
Type species
†Gyrolepis dubius Woodward, 1893
Other species
†S. spitzbergensis Aldinger, 1935 (nomen nudum[1])
Synonyms
†Gyrolepis dubius Woodward, 1893[2]

Scanilepis is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived during the Rhaetian-?Hettangian ages (Late Triassic-?Lower Jurassic boundary). The type species, S. dubia, is known from the Rhaetian freshwater deposits of the Bjuv member of the Höganäs Formation, southwestern Sweden.^[3] A second species, S. spitzbergensis was mentioned from the Hettangian of the Festning section of the Grøfjorden area in Spitsbergen, Norway^[4][5] but was never described.^[1]

Description

The original material of this genus, described by Aldinger in 1937, was destroyed during WW2 in Germany. Latter, new material was recovered from Bjuv locality, including skull and postcraneal material.^[3] This taxon represents a relatively large fish, up to 110 cm, with an isolated isolated caudal suggesting a fish of at least 2 m. The head presents unusual relative small eyes and a correlative maxilla with very large posterior plate and bony craneal top.^[3] This taxon presents a relatively elongated bodyplan with an odd dorsal fin, exceptionally long, beginning behind the head and reaching the caudal. Pectoral fins weren't found, and are assumed to be small and only played a reduced role.^[3]

Classification

This fish was originally identified as a member of the genus Gyrolepis, as Gyrolepis dubius, but was later assigned to its own genus (Scanilepis) and family (Scanilepididae),^[4] and classified as a member of Palaeonisciformes.^[5] Later works placed it as a taxon close to the origin of the family Amiidae, until it was found later to belong to its own order, Scanilepiformes, closely related with the genus Evenkia.^[6] Regarding to the microstructure of its scales, Scanilepis approaches the condition of Polypterus or Erpetoichthys more than any other genera.^[7]

See also

• Prehistoric fish
• List of prehistoric bony fish

References

1. Schultze, Hans-Peter; Mickle, Kathryn E.; Poplin, Cecile; Hilton, Eric J.; Grande, Lance (2021). Handbook of Paleoichthyology, 8A. Actinopterygii I. Palaeoniscimorpha, Stem Neopterygii, Chondrostei. Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München. p. 299. ISBN 978-3-89937-272-4.
2. Woodward, A. S. (1893). "Palaeoichthyological notes". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 6 (1): 281–287.
3. Lehman, J.-P. (1980). "Le genre Scanilepis Aldinger du Rhétien de la Scanie (Suède)" (PDF). Bulletin of the Geological Institutions of the University of Uppsala (in French). 8 (1): 113–133. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
4. Aldinger, H. (1935). "Das Alter der jungpaläozoischen Posidonomyaschiefer von Ostgrönland". Meddelelser om Grønland (in German). 98: 1–24.
5. Aldinger, H. (1937). "Permische Ganoidfisch aus Ostgrönland". Meddelelser om Grønland (in German). 102 (2): 1–392.
6. Sytchevskaya, E. K. (1999). "Freshwater fish fauna from the Triassic of Northern Asia". In G. Arratia; H.-P. Schultze (eds.). Mesozoic Fishes 2 – Systematics and Fossil Record (PDF). München: Dr. Friedrich Pfeil. pp. 445–468. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
7. Ørvig, T. (1978). "Microstructure and growth of the dermal skeleton in fossil actinopterygian fishes: Birgeria and Scanilepis". Zoologica Scripta. 7 (1‐4): 33–56. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.1978.tb00587.x. S2CID 85412731. Retrieved 12 December 2021.