Neopetalichthys

Neopetalichthys Temporal range: Emsian
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Infraphylum:	Gnathostomata
Class:	Placodermi McCoy, 1848
Order:	Petalichthyida †
Family:	incertae sedis
Genus:	Neopetalichthys
Species:	N. yenmenpaensis
Binomial name
Neopetalichthys yenmenpaensis Liu, 1973

Neopetalichthys yenmenpaensis is an extinct petalichthid placoderm from the Early Devonian of China.

Fossils

The holotype and only known specimen is a poorly preserved partial, and elongated skull from Emsian-aged strata in Sichuan. The skull may be around 8.5 cm (3.3 in) in length.^[1]

Phylogeny

Denison 1978 questions Neopetalichthys' placement within Petalichthyida, regarding it as Placodermi incertae sedis, though he does acknowledge that the skull has anatomical features in common with petalichthyids.^[1]). According to Zhu's 1991 redescription of Diandongpetalichthys,^[2] Neopetalichthys' status as a petalichthyid is confirmed, though, in that study, it is regarded as a basal incertae sedis.^[3]

Quasipetalichthys is possibly closely related to Neopetalichthys, and may or may not be placed together within Quasipetalichthyidae.

References

1. Denison, Robert (1978). Placodermi Volume 2 of Handbook of Paleoichthyology'. Stuttgart New York: Gustav Fischer Verlag. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-89574-027-4.
2. Zhu, M. "New information on Diandongpetalichthys (Placodermi: Petalichthyida)." Early vertebrates and related problems of evolutionary biology. Science Press, Beijing (1991): 179-192.
3. Zhu, Min & Wang, Junqing (October 1996). "A NEW MACROPETALICHTHYID FROM CHINA, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ZOOGEOGRAPHY OF THE MACROPETALICHTHYIDAE (PLACODERMI)" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica 34 (4): 253–268.