Alaconger fornicatus ( Frizzell & Lamber, 1962 )

Lin, Chien-Hsiang & Nolf, Dirk, 2022, Middle and late Eocene fish otoliths from the eastern and southern USA, European Journal of Taxonomy 814, pp. 1-122 : 30-31

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2022.814.1745

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:74226488-DE8B-4A64-B1D4-A24C15AE79F6

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14511414

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/897AA073-FFB3-3968-E911-C028FCBF59F7

treatment provided by

Felipe (2022-04-25 18:59:08, last updated 2024-12-18 02:59:11)

scientific name

Alaconger fornicatus ( Frizzell & Lamber, 1962 )
status

 

Alaconger fornicatus ( Frizzell & Lamber, 1962)

Fig. 8M–N View Fig

Conger ” fornicatus Frizzell & Lamber, 1962: 96 , figs 3a–b, 9a–d.

“genus Congridarum ” fornicatus – Nolf 1985: 44.

Congrida ” fornicata – Nolf 2013: 36, pl. 26.

Remarks

The otoliths of A. fornicatus are characterized by a salient angle in the middle of both their dorsal and ventral rims. This provides them with a very recognizable overall lozenge shape (rhombus- or diamond-shaped). This feature is not seen in otoliths of any of the extant congrid genera, but a somewhat similar looking shape is seen in the Maastrichtian Alaconger triquetrus Schwarzhans, 2010 from the Gerhartsreiter Beds in Bavaria, Germany ( Schwarzhans 2010). This Maastrichtian species, however, has a higher dorsal expansion and does not show the very salient anterior and posterior ends seen in A. fornicatus .

Stratigraphic and geographic distribution

Priabonian: Yazoo Clay, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Frizzell D. L. & Lamber C. K. 1962. Distinctive congrid type fish otoliths from the lower Tertiary of the Gulf Coast (Pisces: Anguilliformes). Proceedings of the California Academy of Science, Series 4: 87 - 101.

Nolf D. 1985. Otolithi Piscium. In: Schultze H. P. (ed.) Handbook of Palaeoichthyology, Volume 10: 1 - 145. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart.

Nolf D. 2013. The Diversity of Fish Otoliths, Past and Present. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels.

Schwarzhans W. 2010. Otolithen aus den Gerhartsreiterschichten (Oberkreide: Maastricht) des Gerhartsreiter Grabens (Oberbayern). Palaeo Ichthyologica 4: 1 - 100.

Gallery Image

Fig. 8. Fish otoliths from the US middle and upper Eocene. A–B. Albula sp. (IRSNB P 9957–9958). A. Weches F., Wall Farm 2, Texas. B. “Stone City beds”, Alabama Ferry, on Trinity River, North, Texas. C–D. Elopothrissus bernardlemorti sp. nov., “Stone City beds”, Texas. C. Alabama Ferry, on Trinity River, North, holotype (IRSNB P 9959), D. Stone City Bluff, Brazos River, sample 2 from bed P, paratype (IRSNB P 9960). E–H. Pythonichthys colei (Müller, 1999). E–F. Landrum M., Pin Oak Creek, Texas (IRSNB P 9961–9962). G–H. “Stone City beds”, Stone City Bluff, Brazos River, Texas (IRSNB P 9963–9964). I–L. Pterothrissus umbonatus (Koken, 1884), “Stone City beds”, Stone City Bluff, Brazos River, sample 2 from bed P, Texas (IRSNB P 9965–9968). M–N. Alaconger fornicatus (Frizzell & Lamber, 1962), Shubuta Clay M., Cynthia, Mississippi Lite clay pit, Mississippi (IRSNB P 10005–10006). 1 = ventral view; 2 = inner view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Actinopterygii

Order

Anguilliformes

Family

Congridae

Genus

Alaconger