A new genus of sinogaleaspids (Galeaspida, stem-Gnathostomata) from the Silurian Period in Jiangxi, China

Abstract

Galeaspids are an endemic clade of jawless stem-gnathostomes known as ostracoderms. Their existence illuminates how specific characteristics developed in jawed vertebrates. Sinogaleaspids are of particular interest among the galeaspids but their monophyly is controversial because little is known about Sinogaleaspis xikengensis. Newly discovered sinogaleaspids from the Lower Silurian of Jiangxi, China provide a wealth of data and diagnostic features used to establish the new genus, Rumporostralis gen. nov., for Sinogaleaspis xikengensis. A morphological study showed that the sensory canal system of sinogaleaspids had mosaic features similar to those of three known galeaspids. There are 3–8 pairs of transverse canals in the Sinogaleaspidae, which suggests that the sensory canal system of galeaspid probably had a grid distribution with transverse canals arranged throughout the cephalic division. Phylogenetic analysis of Galeaspida supports the monophyly of the Sinogaleaspidae, consisting of Sinogaleaspis, Rumporostralis, and Anjiaspis. However, Shuyu and Meishanaspis form another monophyletic group, Shuyuidae fam. nov., which is outside all other eugaleaspidiforms. We propose a cladistically-based classification of Galeaspida based on our analysis.