A new haplolepid fauna (Osteichthyes: Actinopterygii) from the Lower Coal Measures of Scotland: Westphalian A; Langsettian, Carbonicola communis chronozone (Bashkirian)

Abstract

ABSTRACTSeven new species and one new genus of the family Haplolepidae (Actinopterygii: Palaeonisciformes) are described from new material obtained from the Drumgray coal shales, North Lanarkshire: Westphalian A (Bashkirian): Protohaplolepis isabellae; Protohaplolepis limnades; Protohaplolepis traquairi; Parahaplolepis alexandrae; Parahaplolepis elenae; Pyritocephalus youngii and Millerolepis eleionomae. The discovery of these new taxa increases the number of haplolepid species found in Europe to 16, thus producing a faunal count more than comparable to that of North America. This high concentration of haplolepid remains in limnic deposits is also a strong indication that these fish were not only adapted to a coastal paralic basin, but also well-adapted to a freshwater brackish environment. A comprehensive description of the skull roof morphology, including a short description of some of the larger dermal bones, is given of seven new haplolepid species obtained from the coal shale tips at Wester Bracco and Shotts in North Lanarkshire. In consequence, a revised table of the stratigraphical distribution of the Haplolepidae in Europe is provided. Furthermore, the new genus Millerolepis is assigned to the subfamily Parahaplolepinae and the generic position of the problematic Haplolepis attheyi from Newsham, Northumberland is discussed, with the taxonomic position of Protohaplolepis proposed.