Grimmenichthys ansorgei, gen. et sp. nov. (Teleostei, ‘Pholidophoriformes’), and other ‘pholidophoriform’ fishes from the early Toarcian of Grimmen (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany)

Rare finds of ‘pholidophoriform’ fishes from the early Toarcian (Early Jurassic) of Grimmen (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany) are described. The specimens include two isolated dentaries, an isolated braincase, several isolated scales, and an articulated, but incomplete specimen. The isolated bones are described in open nomenclature, whereas the articulated specimen is assigned to a new genus and species. The new taxon, Grimmenichthys ansorgei, gen. et sp. nov., shows an autapomorphy (notch in anteroventral margin of preopercle present) and some synapomorphies (e.g., five or six infraorbital bones; lepisosteoid-type scales, deeper than long in predorsal region, present) of Pholidophoridae s.s. The abdominal vertebrae of Grimmenichthys ansorgei, gen. et sp. nov., are diplospondylous which is also the case in the pholidophorids Pholidoctenus serianus and Malingichthys nimaiguensis, but the pattern of mineralization of the hemichordacentra is different from the condition in both of these pholidophorid species.

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Citation for this article: Konwert, M., and M. K. Hörnig. 2018. Grimmenichthys ansorgei, gen. et sp. nov. (Teleostei, ‘Pholidophoriformes’), and other ‘pholidophoriform’ fishes from the early Toarcian of Grimmen (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1451872.