Protopsephurus

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Temporal range: Early Cretaceous
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Fossil of P. liui, Tianjin Natural History Museum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
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Binomial name
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Lu, 1994
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Protopsephurus is an extinct genus of paddlefish containing the single species Protopsephurus liui, known from the Yixian, Jiufotang and Huajiying formations in Liaoning, northern China from the Barremian to Aptian ages of the Early Cretaceous period around 125-120 million years ago.[1][2] It is currently the oldest and most basal paddlefish known.

Description

File:Paddlefish size comparison.svg
Size of the largest specimens of Protopsephurus (dark red, left centre), compared to other paddlefish

The species is known from numerous specimens ranging up to about Template:Cvt long. The rostrum is shorter than that in any other known paddlefish, and is more sturgeon-like. The morphology of the skull roof is also more archaic than any other paddlefish. The axial skeleton is poorly ossified. Like other extinct polyodontids, it also has tiny non-interlocking scales approximately 1 mm in diameter called denticles that cover the trunk, which bear a fringe of spikes.[3]

File:Protopsephurus.png
A reconstruction of Protopsephurus, surrounded by smaller Lycoptera fish, which were likely prey for Protopsephurus

Ecology

Protopsephurus is thought to have been piscivorous, feeding on smaller fish. One adult specimen of Protopsephurus has been observed with a specimen of the smaller fish Lycoptera, the most common fish in the formation, preserved in its stomach. Piscivory is likely the ancestral ecology of paddlefish, with only the genus Polyodon making the transition to being planktivorous filter feeders.[3]

Taxonomy

The name comes from Ancient Greek words "protos" (first) and Psephurus, the genus name of the Chinese paddlefish. Originally named by Lu in 1994, it was redescribed in detail by Lance Grande and colleagues in 2002. Protopsephurus is widely agreed to be the most primitive known paddlefish, and in 1996 was placed into its own subfamily Protopsephurinae. Cladogram following Grande et al. 2002:[3]Script error: No such module "Clade".

See also

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Protopsephurus liui". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Paddlefish Classes". Paddlefish Bibliography. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Grande, Lance; Jin, Fan; Yabumoto, Yoshitaka; Bemis, William E. (2002-07-08). "Protopsephurus liui, a well-preserved primitive paddlefish (Acipenseriformes: Polyodontidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 22 (2): 209–237. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0209:PLAWPP]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 86258128.

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