Sceletophoridae ŠTAMBERG , 2006

Štamberg, Stanislav, 2013, Knowledge Of The Carboniferous And Permian Actinopterygian Fishes Of The Bohemian Massif - 100 Years After Antonín Frič, Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae Series B 69 (3 - 4), pp. 159-182 : 165

Family Sceletophoridae ŠTAMBERG, 2006

T y p e g e n u s: Sceletophorus FRITSCH, 1894 is the single genus of the family.

D i a g n o s i s ( Štamberg 2006): The family Sceletophoridae is characterized by fusiform shape of the body, pelvic fin placed closer to pectoral than to anal fin. Caudal fin with unequal lobes, but only moderately cleft. Fin rays of pectoral fins articulate from their base. Orbit large, lying well forward. Maxilla with large square maxillary plate. Lower jaw stout. The upper and lower jaws bear robust, smooth, sharp-pointed teeth of equal size. Suspensorium nearly vertical. Oblong operculum and suboperculum, small number of branchiostegal rays. Scales are rhombic.

R e m a r k s: The genus Sceletophorus was formerly included in the family Trissolepidae FRITSCH, 1895 together with the Sphaerolepis FRIČ, 1877 – the type genus of the family Trissolepidae ( Štamberg 1991) . Sceletophorus has several features similar to Sphaerolepis (large orbit, construction of the skull roof, type of dentition on the jaws, nearly vertical suspensorium), but several other important characters separate Sceletophorus from Trissolepididae : well-developed operculum and suboperculum, greater number of branchiostegal rays, shape of the parasphenoid, caudal fin moderately cleft and rhombic scales.

The family Sceletophoridae includes Sceletophorus biserialis FRITSCH, 1894 and Sceletophorus verrucosus ( FRITSCH, 1894) from the Westphalian D of the Central and West Bohemian Late Palaeozoic basins.