Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4729062 Journal of African Earth Sciences 2012 6 Pages PDF
Abstract

A single crown of sawfish rostral ‘tooth’ with at least two barbs along its posterior margin is comparable with Onchopristis dunklei from the Woodbine Formation of Texas and Atlanticopristisequatorialis from the Alcântara Formation of Brazil. However, it is regarded here as an aberrant Onchopristisnumidus, the typical form from North Africa. An aberrant morph of O. numidus is considered pathological. The taxonomic utility of barb number in pristid rostral ‘teeth’ is discussed. The genus and species Australopristis wiffeni gen. et sp. nov is erected to accommodate some multi-cusped rostral teeth from the Late Cretaceous of New Zealand.

► The sawfish Onchopristis from the Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco is discussed. ► An aberrant rostral tooth of Onchospristis is described. ► Onchopristis specimens from New Zealand are placed in the new genus Australopristis.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Geology
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