Aztecia
| Aztecia Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | †Rhizodontida |
| Order: | †Rhizodontiformes |
| Genus: | †Aztecia Johanson & Ahlberg, 2001 |
| Type species | |
| †Aztecia mahalae Johanson & Ahlberg, 2001 | |
Aztecia is an extinct genus of basal tetrapodomorphs. It belonged to Rhizodontida, one of the earliest-diverging tetrapodomorph clades. A. mahalae comes from the Aztec Siltstone in Victoria Land, Antarctica, dating back to the Middle Devonian–Late Devonian.[1] The genus name Aztecia refers to the Aztec Siltstone where the specimens were recovered, and the species epithet mahalae refers to the British palaeontologist Mahala Andrews who worked on rhizodontid fish.[citation needed]
History
[edit]In 1992, a mandible associated with pectoral girdle material was described as Notorhizodon.[2] It was identified as a rhizodontid on the basis of the pectoral girdle material. However, the morphology of the mandible is very different from other Rhizodontida. In 2001, the pectoral material was separated from the mandible material as a new rhizodontid species, Aztecia mahalae.[1]
Description
[edit]Aztecia was a small rhizodont. It is known from a humerus, a clavicle and a cleithrum. Aztecia differs from other rhizodontid by having a humerus with a wide preaxial flange and a cleithurm with a narrow, recessed flange along the posterior margin.[1]
Phylogeny
[edit]The cladogram presented below show a possible position of Aztecia among Rhizodontida. It is based on a 2012 study by Jeffery:[3]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Johanson, Z.; Ahlberg, P. E. (2001). "Devonian rhizodontids and tristichopterids (Sarcopterygii; Tetrapodomorpha) from East Gondwana". Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences. 92 (1): 43–74. doi:10.1017/S0263593300000043.
- ↑ Young, G. C.; Long, J.; Ritchie, A. (1992). "Crossopterygian Fishes from the Devonian of Antarctica: Systematics, Relationships, and Biogeographic Significance". Records of the Australian Museum, Supplement. 14: 1–77. doi:10.3853/j.0812-7387.14.1992.90.
- ↑ Jeffery, J. E. (2012). "Cranial morphology of the Carboniferous rhizodontid Screbinodus ornatus (Osteichthyes: Sarcopterygii)". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 10 (3): 475–519. Bibcode:2012JSPal..10..475J. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.595961.
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