Trichiurides sagittidens Winkler, 1874

Ebersole, Jun A., Cicimurri, David J. & Stringer, Gary L., 2019, Taxonomy and biostratigraphy of the elasmobranchs and bony fishes (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes) of the lower-to-middle Eocene (Ypresian to Bartonian) Claiborne Group in Alabama, USA, including an analysis of otoliths, European Journal of Taxonomy 585, pp. 1-274 : 170-172

Trichiurides sagittidens Winkler, 1874

Fig. 63 A–I

Trichiurides sagittidens Winkler, 1874b: 31 , pl. 2, figs 22–23.

Trichiurus sp. – Thurmond & Jones 1981: 105, fig. 49.

Trichiurides cf. sagittidens – Clayton et al. 2013 : fig. 6e.

Triciurides cf. T. sagittidens – Maisch et al. 2016 : fig. 2, 17–18.

Material examined

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – Alabama • 33 isolated teeth; Claiborne Group ; ALMNH PV 1989.4.12 (2 specimens), ALMNH PV1989.4.73.2 (4 specimens), ALMNH PV1989.4.102, ALMNH PV1989.4.129, ALMNH PV1989.4.142, ALMNH PV1989.4.151.3, ALMNH PV1993.2.500 (5 specimens), ALMNH PV2005.6.432, ALMNH PV2005.6.433, MMNS VP-8195, MSC 12800, MSC 2159 , MSC 2405.1 – 2 , MSC 37356, MSC 37364, MSC 37486, MSC 37520, MSC 38517, MSC 38538, NJSM 24043 , WSU 13 , WSU 27 , WSU CC 547 (2 specimens) .

Description

Teeth tall, rather narrow, laterally compressed apically, conical basally. Crown sharply curved distally except for anteriorly directed apical portion. Crown apex with sharp anterior carina; large posterior barb composed of translucent enamel. Tooth base with circular outline; shallow, centrally located pulp cavity.

Remarks

An elongated, distally curved tooth with a laterally compressed apex bearing a large posterior apical barb, and circular basal outline distinguish Trichiurides sagittidens from teeth of Sphyraena and Trichiurus . Trichiurides sagittidens teeth lack lateral carinae as seen on Eutrichiurides plicidens comb. nov. teeth. The Claiborne specimens in our sample appear to be conspecific with those described and figured by Winkler (1874b: 31, pl. 2, figs 22–23) as Trichiurides sagittidens . Trichiurides is monospecific and presently only known from laniary teeth. Thurmond & Jones (1981: 105, fig. 49) described and figured a tooth from the Tallahatta Formation in Monroe County, AL as Trichiurus sp., but a reexamination of this specimen showed it instead belongs to Trichiurides sagittidens .

Stratigraphic and geographic range in Alabama

The specimens in our sample were collected from the Tallahatta Formation at site AMo-8, the contact of the Tallahatta and Lisbon formations at sites ACh-14 and ACov-11, the basal Lisbon Formation at site ACov-11, the basal Gosport Sand at site ACl-4, and the Gosport Sand at site ACh-21 and ACl-15. Lower Lutetian to middle Bartonian, zones NP14 to NP17.

Figures

Fig. 63. Trichiurides sagittidens Winkler, 1874 and Trichiurus oshosunensis White, 1926, teeth. A–I. Trichiurides sagittidens. A–C. MSC 12800,, basal Gosport Sand. A. Lingual view. B. Anterior view. C. Basal view. D–F. MSC 2405.1, Gosport Sand. D. Lingual view. E. Anterior view. F. Basal view. G–I. MSC 37486, basal Gosport Sand. G. Lingual view. H. Anterior view. I. Basal view. — J–R. Trichiurus oshosunensis. J–L. MSC 38489.1, basal Lisbon Formation. J. Profile view. K. Anterior view. L. Basal view. M–O. MSC 37657, Tallahatta/Lisbon formation contact zone, courtesy of Bruce Relihan. M. Profile view. N. Anterior view. O. Basal view. P–R. MSC 37146, Tallahatta/Lisbon formation contact zone, courtesy of James Lowery. P. Profile view. Q. Anterior view. R. Basal view. Scale bars = 5 mm.