Scalacurvichthys Temporal range: Cenomanian,
Image and camera lucidia drawing of the holotype (SMNK-PAL. 8613)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	†Pycnodontiformes
Family:	†Pycnodontidae
Subfamily:	†Pycnodontinae
Genus:	†Scalacurvichthys Cawley, and Kriwet 2017
Type species
†Scalacurvichthys naishi John Cawley, and Jürgen Kriwet, 2017

Scalacurvichthys (IPA: [ˌskäːɫäˈkʊrvikʰtʰys]) (meaning "curved scale fish") is an extinct genus of pycnodontine pycnodontiform fish from the Amminadav Formation in West Bank; Palestine. The type species is S. naishi, known from only the holotype which comprises a nearly complete and articulated individual.^[1]

Etymology

The generic name, Scalacurvichthys (IPA: [ˌskäːɫäˈkʊrvikʰtʰys]), is derived from the Latin words 'scala' and 'curva'. 'Scala' translates to scale, and 'curva' translates to curved. This is in reference to the raised, anterior-facing first dorsal ridge scale protruding above the skull roof. And the Greek word 'ἰχθύς' which translates to fish. The specific name, naishi (IPA: [ˌneɪʃˈaɪ]), is dedicated to Dr. Darren Naish whom is a prominent palaeontologist and the founder of the vertebrate palaeozoology blog Tetrapod Zoology, and its accompanying convention TetZooCon.^[2][1]

Description

Scalacurvichthys is known only from the holotype, SMNK-PAL. 8613, which was described in 2017 by Cawley, and Kriwet, (2017). The holotype measures at around 12.3 cm (4.8 in) in length. It consists of an almost completely and fully articulated specimen, lacking, however, some cranial and postcranial details due to taphonomic processes. Several morphological elements especially of the postcranial skeleton are preserved and recognizable only as imprints.^[1]

Classification

In their phylogenetic analysis, Cawley, and Kriwet, (2017) recovered Scalacurvichthys amongst the pycnodontine grade of pycnodontiforms, most closely related to Oropycnodus, and other pycnodontines. The following cladogram represents the phylogenetic results of a consensus tree, with unordered characters based on modified database of Poyato-Ariza, and Wenz, (2002).^[3] The original tree used several members outside of Pycnodontidae, and others outside of Pycnodontiformes as an outgroup, however for simplicity only members of Pycnodontidae are shown below.^[1]

References