Fossil Fishes

[John Bruner]

On Fri, 7 Aug 1998, Martin Cavalluzzi wrote:
> Hi Taxacomers,
> Blot (1969) illustrates and describes two extinct monotypic genera of the
> marine fish family Ephippidae (= Ephippididae), Archaephippus asper (Volta,
> 1796) and Eoplatax papilio (Volta, 1796) known from deposits from Monte
> Bolca, Italy.
> Can someone please tell me if fossils of these species have been found in
> other areas?  I am trying to map out historical distributions.
> Thanks for your help.  I look forward to hearing from you.
> Marty
> Blot, J. 1969. Les poissons fossiles du Monte Bolca classis jusqu ici
> dans les familles des Carangidae, Menidae, Ephippidae, Scatophagidae.
> Studi e Richerche sui giacimenti Terziari di Bolca, 1, 1-525.
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> Marty R. Cavalluzzi
> Fisheries Science Laboratory
> Virginia Institute of Marine Science
> P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA 23062-1346  USA
> (804)684-7582  FAX: (804)684-7327  E-mail: martin at vims.edu
> -----------------------------------------------------------

Marty,
Class Actinopterygi, Order Perciformes, Suborder Acanthuroidei,
Family Ephippidae Bleeker, 1859  [NOT Gill, 1862]  Spadefishes
        You left out the spadefish fossils:
{Amphistium paradoxum}, {Ephippus elegans}, {Ephippus longipennis}
(Agassiz), {Exellia velifer}, {Platax quadrula} Eocene, Monte Bolca, Italy
{Paraplatax avsyrtus} Bogatshov, 1938  Oligocene, Abkhazia
        The fossil record starts at the Eocene, Lutetian and is still extant
with 7 extant genera and about 20 species.

        According to Nolf (1985), there is no otolith-based fossil record
for this family.  However, in the following publication:
Stinton, Frederick C.  1982 [1984]  Fish otoliths from the English Eocene
(Part 5): Palaeontogr. Soc. monogr.  565:259-320.  Stinton lists otoliths of
{Ephippus elegans} which he had placed in the family Chaetodipteridae that
has since been combined with Ephippidae.  In the following publication,
Klausewitz discusses fossils of {Eoplatax papilio}:

Klausewitz, Wolfgang.  1983.  Die Entwicklung des Roten Meeres und seiner
Kuestenfische.  II.  Palaeogeographie, Paloekologie und Endemitenentwicklung
[The development of the Red Sea and its coastal fishes.  II.  Paleography,
paleoecology and development of the endemics]: nat. Mus. (Senckemb.
Naturforsch. Ges.)  Vol. 113(12):349-368, and cover.  (German)  Dec. 1983.

In the following publication, Blot (1980) discusses Ephippidae fossils
{Archaephippus asper}, {Eoplatax papillio}, {Exellia velifer}[Blot has it
in Exelliidae but Sorbini has it in Ephippidae], {Platax quadrula} [Blot
puts it in Platacidae]:

Blot, J.  1980.  La faune ichthyologique des gisements du Monte Bolca
(Province de Verone, Italie); Catalogue systematique presentant l'etat
actuel des recherches conceernant cette faune [The fish fauna of the Monte
Bolca localities (Verona Province, Italy); systematic catalog presenting the
present state of research on this fauna]: Bulletin du museum national
d'historie naturelle.  Section C: Sciences de la Terre: Paleontologie,
Geologie, mineralogie.  Vol. 2(4, 4th Series):339-396.  with preface by J.
P. Lehman.  Dec. 1980.

Sorbini, L.  Il giacimento di Bolca (Verona) [The locality of Bolca,
Verona]. pp. 149-155. {IN:} Parisi, G., {et ali} (editor)  I vertebrati
fossili italiani; catalogo della Mostra, Verona 1980.

Cambridge, P. G.  1979.  Field meeting at Bramerton Common, 3rd September
1978.  Geol soc. Norfolk, Bulletin No. 31:71-77.  Sept. 1979
        Refers to {Plathax} ?misspelling of {Platax}

{Amphistium paradoxum}, {Eoplatax papilio} Ephippidae
Blot, L.  1978.  Origine et phylogenese des poissons osseux [Origin and
phylogeny of bony fishes].  pp. 1-21.  {IN:} Tortonese, E. {et ali} (editor)
Evolutionary biology of Fishes.  Boll. Zool. Vol. 45, supplement 2.  Origine
et phylogenese des poisons osseux.  A symposium published by the Unione
Zoologica Italiana.

        John
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*   Mr. John Clay Bruner                                     *
*   Department of Biological Sciences                        *
*   University of Alberta                                    *
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