2026-10-12T19:29:47Z
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2026-09-24T23:01:21Z
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Redescriptions of <i>Birgeria acuminata</i> (Agassiz, 1835) and <i>Saurichthys</i> sp. (Actinopterygii) fossils from the British Rhaetian, and redundancy of the genus <i>Severnichthys</i> Storrs, 1994
Jacob G. Quinn (18725400)
David I. Whiteside (3858349)
Samuel L.A. Cooper (25105957)
Jonathan Bow (25105960)
Amaury Baffou (25105963)
Cindy Howells (846902)
Evangelos R. Matheau-Raven (18725403)
Michael J. Benton (7900019)
Biochemistry
Evolutionary Biology
Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
Ecology
Sociology
Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
high energy conditions
valid taxa within
birgeria acuminata </
two early actinopterygians
severnichthys acuminatus </
disarticulated vertebrate fossils
saurichthys longidens </
birgeria </
longidens </
severnichthys </
saurichthys </
vertebrate researchers
aurichthys </
vast quantities
two centuries
treated cautiously
temnospondyl tetrapods
single deposit
robust dentitions
recognized later
present within
penarth group
multiple species
morphofunctional adaptation
later misinterpreted
large fish
first time
enamel infolding
definitive confirmation
cross sections
bone beds
>’ must
>, providing
<p>The latest Triassic Rhaetian Westbury Formation of the Penarth Group in Britain, with several highly fossiliferous bone beds, has been of interest to vertebrate researchers for two centuries. The bone beds were deposited under high energy conditions, resulting in vast quantities of fragmentary and disarticulated vertebrate fossils, including actinopterygian teeth named by Louis Agassiz in 1835 as holotypes of <i>Birgeria acuminata</i> and <i>Saurichthys longidens</i>. Some of these were later misinterpreted as remains of temnospondyl tetrapods, based on enamel infolding (plicidentine) seen in cross sections of the bases of the teeth. They were recognized later to be fossils of large fish, but the two were merged under the name <i>Severnichthys acuminatus</i>, encompassing isolated conical teeth of <i>Saurichthys</i> and robust dentitions of <i>Birgeria</i>. Here, we present a novel <i>Saurichthys</i> rostropremaxilla from the European Rhaetian. This elongate and gracile rostrum highlights inconsistencies with the diagnosis of <i>Severnichthys</i>, providing a definitive confirmation of the invalidity of the genus. We justify the resurrection of S<i>aurichthys</i> sp. and <i>Birgeria acuminata</i> as valid taxa within the Rhaetian, but note that it is typical for multiple species of <i>Saurichthys</i> to be present within a single deposit so <i>S.</i> ‘<i>longidens</i>’ must be treated cautiously. Further, we demonstrate a form of plicidentine in two early actinopterygians for the first time, interpreted as a morphofunctional adaptation to a predatory lifestyle.</p>
2026-09-24T23:01:21Z
Dataset
Dataset
10.6084/m9.figshare.33991129.v1
https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Redescriptions_of_i_Birgeria_acuminata_i_Agassiz_1835_and_i_Saurichthys_i_sp_Actinopterygii_fossils_from_the_British_Rhaetian_and_redundancy_of_the_genus_i_Severnichthys_i_Storrs_1994/33991129
CC BY 4.0