Ebertichthys ettlingensis Arratia, 2016

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata Haeckel 1874
Class: Actinopteri Cope 1871
Order: Ascalaboidiformes Arratia 2019
Family: Ascalaboidae Arratia 2016
Genus: Ebertichthys
Species: Ebertichthys ettlingensis
Author Citation Arratia 2016

Geological Time Scale

Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Jurassic
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Late
International Age: Kimmeridgian (late)

Stratigraphy

Weissjura Group
Painten Formation

Biostratigraphy

Hybonoticeras beckeri Zone
Lithacoceras ulmense Subzone

Provenance

Acquired by: Purchase/Trade

Dimensions

Length: 80 mm

Location

Breitenhill (Öchsleberg)
District of Eichstätt
Bavaria
Germany

• Breitenhill
• Ebertichthys
• jurassic
• kimmeridgian
• Painten Formation

Comments

Originally it was assumed that this species was only found in Ettlingen, Bavaria. In the meantime, further specimens from other locations are known (Ebert, 2021).

Derivation of genus name (Arratia 2016, p. 34):  '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.'

Diagnosis by Arratia, 2016, p 33 '(based on a unique combination of characters; uniquely derived features among primitive teleosts are identified with an asterisk [*]): Small teleosts of about 90mm 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 3relatively 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 1C2 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.'

Identified by M. Ebert, Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns.

References:
Arratia, G.  (2016). New remarkable Late Jurassic teleosts from southern Germany: Ascalaboidae n. fam., its content, morphology, and phylogenetic relationships. Foss. Rec., 19, 31–59, 2016. doi:10.5194/fr-19-31-2016

Ebert, Martin (2021). Teleostei der Plattenkalke des Solnhofen-Archipels – Ein Bestimmungsschlüssel. Archaeopteryx, 37: 30 – 55.