SilesianTriassic

Actinopterygii indet. (cf. Saurichthys)

Cranium

Dating uncertain – probably the boundary of Upper Röt and Lower Muschelkalk (Anisian), Triassic

Upper Silesia, Poland

Description

The specimen is a partially preserved skull roof of a Triassic bony actinopterygian fish (cf. Saurichthys).

The preserved skull fragment, in dorsal view, includes fragmentary frontals? (frontalia) and extends to the symmetrically arranged posttemporals-supracleithra? (left side of the photo).

The specimen’s overall morphology is consistent with the cranial morphology of Saurichthys described in the literature. The fragmentary state of preservation allows for classification of the specimen within Actinopterygii, with a tentative assignment to cf. Saurichthys. Although Wu et al. (2011) describe a new genus, Sinosaurichthys, it can still serve as a useful comparative reference at this level of identification.

References

• Wu, F., Sun, Y., Xu, G., Hao, W., Jiang, D., & Sun, Z. (2011). New Saurichthyid Actinopterygian Fishes from the Anisian (Middle Triassic) of Southwestern China. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 56(3), 581–614. https://doi.org/10.4202/app.2010.0007