Ebertichthys, Arratia, 2016

Arratia, G., 2016, New remarkable Late Jurassic teleosts from southern Germany: Ascalaboidae n. fam., its content, morphology, and phylogenetic relationships, Fossil Record 19 (1), pp. 31-59 : 33-34

Ebertichthys n. gen.

Diagnosis (based on a unique combination of characters; uniquely derived features among primitive teleosts are identified with an asterisk [*]): Small teleosts of about 90 mm maximum length with dorsal-fin origin placed posterior to pelvic origin and equidistant to pelvic and anal fins [*]. Large head, about 33 % of standard length [*]. Large eye, about 35 % of head length [*]. Large, heavily ossified supraorbital bone, anteroventrally expanded. Large, elongate antorbital [*]. Infraorbital 1 long, narrow, and slightly broader anteriorly. Infraorbital 2 long and narrow, forming most of the ventral orbital margin [*]. Infraorbital 3 relatively small, leaving most of quadrate exposed [*]. Elongate ectopterygoid with a small tooth patch. Entopterygoid with small conical teeth. Triangular, narrow preopercle with ventral and posterior margins forming an angle of about 90 ◦ [*]. Dorsal arm of preopercle almost reaching lateral margin of skull roof. Preopercle with an expanded, rounded flange at the level of infraorbital 3 [*]. Preopercular canal with elongate, narrow sensory tubules in ventral and dorsal arms. A massive, well-ossified cleithrum with dorsal arm shorter than ventral one [*]. First anal pterygiophore long, broadly expanded, and almost rectangular in shape [*]. Neural spine of preural centrum 1 shorter than neural spine of preural centrum 2. Ural centrum 1 + 2 bearing two neural arches with short spines. Eight or nine hypurals. First three anterior uroneurals longer than posterior uroneurals 4 to 6. Uroneural 1 extending anteriorly and reaching preural centrum 2. One “urodermal” present. Body covered with large cycloid scales.

Derivation of name: Ebertichthys is given in recognition of the dedicated work that Martin Ebert (Eichstätt) has done recently at Ettling, recovering fossil fishes and preparing them with the suffix – ichthys (Greek) for fish. M. Ebert collected the specimens described herein.