Systematic paleontology
ACTINOPTERYGII Cope, 1887 [50] (sensu [51]).
†SAURICHTHYIFORMES Aldinger, 1937 [52] (sensu [32]).
†SAURICHTHYIDAE Owen, 1860 [53] (sensu [29]).
†SAURICHTHYS Agassiz, 1834 [31].
†Saurichthys sp.
2008 – †Saurichthys cf. ornatus Mutter et al. [54]
Material
NHMD_157546_A, †Saurichthys sp., almost complete skull and lower jaw.
Fossil age and locality information
The Early Triassic (Induan: Griesbachian–early Dienerian; see also [55]) Wordie Creek Formation of East Greenland contains six well-demarcated horizons (‘Fish Zones I–V’, ‘Stegocephalian Zone’ [56]) that yielded a plethora of vertebrate fossils, including a sizable fossil fish sample, dominated by actinopterygians [56,57,58,59,60,61]. The bulk of this material is deposited in the collections of the Natural History Museum of Denmark, and a substantial portion of this collection remains unprepared. †Saurichthys remains are comparatively rare in East Greenland (< 30 out of over 2,200 identifiable fish fossils collected), and were only recovered from zones II and V, and potentially zone III [54, 56, 57, 60, 62]. The material from horizon II is laterally compressed and was referred to †Saurichthys aff. S. dayi on the basis of postcranial anatomy, although it likely corresponds to a new species [62]. ‘Fish Zone V’ is the youngest of the ‘Fish Zones’ on East Greenland and is associated with the former ‘Proptychites beds’ [56], which likely correspond to the †Bukkenites rosenkrantzi zone of late Griesbachian–early Dienerian (~ 250.4 Ma) age [55]. The latter zone has produced at least two three-dimensionally preserved crania, which were identified as †Saurichthys cf. S. ornatus, on the basis of external anatomical similarities with younger (Smithian Olenekian, late Early Triassic) material from paleogeographically close localities in Spitsbergen [54]. The present work focuses on the better-preserved NHMD_157546_A from the River 7 locality on Kap Stosch, Hold-with-Hope-Peninsula, which was collected during the 1930s. For additional information on local stratigraphy and locality information the reader is referred to [55, 56].
Anatomical description
General features of the neurocranium
The specialized neurocranial morphology of †Saurichthys is dominated by elongate occipital and ethmoidal (rostral) regions, as well as large orbital spaces (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4). In dorsal view the neurocranium is bullet-shaped, attaining its maximum width at the level of the postorbital process. In lateral view, the orbitotemporal and ethmoidal regions are much longer than the occipital and otic regions.
Occipital region
The occipital region (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5a) is delineated by the craniospinal processes posteriorly (‘crsp’), and the cryptic oticooccipital fissure anteriorly. Despite being externally covered by perichondral bone, the oticooccipital fissure persists as a weakly mineralized belt, forming a break in the perichondral and endochondral lining of the endocavity (Figs. 4a, b, 6a, b, 7a, b; Additional file 3: Figure S1A: ‘otcf’). The oticooccipital fissure begins dorsolaterally, intersects the vagus (‘X’) foramen and extends ventrally to below the level of the saccular recess of the inner ear. The anterodorsal surface of the occipital region is poorly mineralized, but a posterior dorsal fontanelle was likely absent, as evidenced by the presence of dorsally-directed, mineralized canals, tentatively interpreted as passages for the dorsal rami of the vagus (Figs. 6a, b, 7a, b: ‘n’). There are no vestibular fontanelles. The ventral floor of the braincase is weakly mineralized, and the condition of the ventral otic fissure cannot be assessed.
The narrow foramen magnum (‘fm’) is ovoid in cross-section and is the most dorsal of the two openings on the posterior face of the occipital region. The notochordal canal (‘not’) lies ventral to the foramen magnum, and is much wider than the latter and approximately circular in cross-section. No thickened notochordal calcification was observed. The two canals communicate posteriorly through the parachordal notch, which terminates slightly posterior to the level of origin of the craniospinal processes. Anterior to this point, the notochordal canal and the foramen magnum are completely enclosed in bone and separated by a continuous horizontal shelf. The notochordal canal extends until almost the anterior margin of the occipital region, but its radius decreases abruptly anterior to the level of origin of the craniospinal processes. Two small canals issue from the notochordal canal and open laterally on each side of the specimen. An aortic canal is absent.
The prominent craniospinal processes originate from the dorsal half of the occipital region, and expand posterolaterally. The posterior face of each craniospinal process bears a deep craniospinal fossa (‘crsf’). The two fossae are separated on the midline by a shallow occiptal crest (‘occ’), which extends along the dorsal margin of the occipital region and widens anteriorly. The laterodorsal part of the braincase between the craniospinal processes and the otic region bears a paired concavity, which extends anteriorly to the posteromedial surface of the otic region, and is mesial to the otic crest formed by the posterior semicircular canal. We consider this concavity to be an expanded tectosynotic fossa (‘tsf’, see also discussion). This fossa sits adjacent to an expanded muscle attachment shelf on the hyomandibula. A common canal for both roots of the first spinooccipital nerve (Spinooccipitalis α of [29]) opens laterally below the craniospinal process. A canal that transmitted either another spinooccipital nerve (ventral root of the N. Spinooccipitalis z of [29]), or the occipital artery, opens anterior and slightly ventral to the previous canal (‘nocc/aocc’).
Remarks
The oticooccipital fissure is externally closed in several actinopterygian taxa, including †Saurichthys, †Amphicentrum, Cladistia, Chondrostei, living Holostei and crown Teleostei [44, 63, 64]. This contrasts with the open oticooccipital fissure of most Paleozoic–early Mesozoic actinopterygians and early neopterygians [39, 40, 44, 58, 59, 63, 65,66,67,68,69]. The discovery of a cryptic oticooccipital fissure allows, for the first time, the mapping of the boundary between the occipital and otic regions in †saurichthyids.
†Saurichthys resembles living neopterygians in the sense that the dorsal aorta and lateral dorsal aortae extend ventral to the elongated posterior stalk of the parasphenoid (e.g., [70, 71]). Presumed similarities in vascularization between †Saurichthys and acipenseriforms are often emphasized in character descriptions [16, 29, 32]. However, there are notable differences between the latter two groups. The most conspicuous difference can be found in the course of the lateral dorsal aortae, which bifurcate posterior to the occiput and extend ventral to the parasphenoid in †saurichthyids (Figs. 4, 5, 8). In acipenserifoms they are embedded in a groove on the ventral surface of the first few abdominal vertebrae, extend mostly dorsal to the parasphenoid, are flanked by the deep parasphenoid notch, and bifurcate anterior to the occiput [72, 73] (Additional file 3: Figure S3, S4). In some specimens of Acipenser, the dorsal aorta can be embedded in a short aortic canal immediately before it bifurcates to efferent branchial arteries (Additional file 3: Figure S4: ‘abreff’).
The occipital region of †saurichthyids and most non-neopterygians [6, 29, 44, 58, 59, 63, 65,66,67,68,69, 74, 75] bears craniospinal processes. Based on comparison with acipenseriforms [73, 75, 76], the only living examples exhibiting craniospinal processes, the latter processes form fossae that must have accommodated the first few epaxial muscle segments [44]. An expanded, laterally-facing tectosynotic fossa is present in acipenseriforms (Additional file 3: Figure S2), and it hosts the origin of the hyoid and opercular retractors and the branchial levator muscles [73, 76, 77]. We hypothesize a similar arrangement in †Saurichthys, based on fossa orientation and the arrangement of the hyomandibula. Due to difficulties in mapping different regions of the neurocranium in adult acipenseriforms, it is unclear whether the tectosynotic fossa crosses to the occipital region as it does in †Saurichthys.
†Kansasiella and †Saurichthys are reconstructed with two spinooccipital foramina [29, 65], whereas only one is present in the lateral occipital region of †Mimipiscis, †Pteronisculus, †Australosomus, †Kentuckia and †Lawrenciella [44, 58, 59, 67, 78]. Yet, such attributions in fossils should be treated with caution, since these foramina could also have transmitted blood vessels. Acipenseriforms exhibit three spinooccipital nerves [73, 77]; Fig. 9, Additional file 3: Figure S3), although a fourth, blind-ending canal is present anterior to the remaining spinooccipital nerves in the endocast of Acipenser we examined. Erpetoichthys, Amia and gars exhibit two spinooccipital nerve foramina, while Polypterus shows three [70, 75, 79,80,81].
Otic and orbitotemporal regions
The otic region (Figs. 3, 4, 5c, d) includes the portion of the braincase enclosing the bony labyrinth, the anterior tip of which terminates slightly beyond the level of the broad postorbital process (‘porp’). Ventrally, it extends up to the posteroventral margin of the myodome. The orbitotemporal region extends anteriorly up to the posterior wall of the ethmoidal region. There is no clear boundary between the otic and orbitotemporal regions, so they are considered collectively here. The flat dorsal surface of the otic and orbitotemporal regions is poorly mineralized and not well resolved in our scan. The anterior fontanelle appears extensive, but is tentatively reconstructed. The posterior tip of the postorbital process is the widest part of the braincase, but the width decreases abruptly at the level of the orbits.
In lateral view, the anterior portion of the tectosynotic fossa (Figs. 3a, b, 4a, b, 5c, d) is bounded medially by the occipital crest and laterally by the process containing the posterior semicircular canal (‘otp’). Anterolaterally to the tectosynotic fossa, and roughly constrained by the planes of the three semicircular canals, there is a depressed area, which corresponds to the fossa bridgei (‘fb’). The latter exhibits a deep posterior subdivision, which opens posterolaterally, towards the anteromedial surface of the hyomandibula. The anterior and medial walls of the posterior subdivision of the fossa bridgei connect to perichondrally-lined, intramural diverticula in the braincase (Figs. 6d, e, 7d, e: ‘id’). The posterior diverticulum extends medially towards the cranial cavity, while the anterior one extends anteriorly, reaching past the level of the crus communis. The posterior opening of the fossa bridgei is succeeded laterally by a posterolaterally facing, subtriangular, shallow hyomandibular facet. The hyomandibular facet (‘hmf’) is separated from the broad postorbital process by the ascending process of the parasphenoid (‘asp’). The presence of an enclosed spiracular canal could not be verified due to limited contrast in tomograms, and may have been absent. Anterolaterally, the tip of the ascending process of the parasphenoid gives way to a shallow, posteriorly facing dilatator fossa (‘dlf’) on the caudal surface of the postorbital process, which is likely to have hosted the hyomandibular protractor muscle. The levator arcus palatini likely originated from the broad fossa of the ventral part of the postorbital process.
A foramen for the vagus nerve, and potentially the posterior cerebral vein [29], opens on the posterolateral surface of the otic region. The jugular vein extended through a depression beginning immediately ventral to the exit of the vagus. The glossopharyngeal nerve (‘IX’) exited ventral to the jugular depression. The jugular depression continues anteriorly and slightly dorsally to become the jugular canal (‘jc’; trigeminofacialis chamber in [29]), which pierces the lateral commissure and opens on the posteroventral part of the orbitotemporal region. The canal for the facial nerve (‘VII’) opens into the jugular canal through its posteromedial wall. Dorsomedial to the anterior opening of the jugular canal, there is a large opening for the trigeminal nerve (‘V’), and potentially the profundus and the anterior trunks of the facial nerve. Slightly anterodorsal to the latter, there is a vertical canal for the mid-cerebral vein. A lateral pillar (alisphenoid pedicel) is absent.
The external (Fig. 8: ‘ace’) and internal carotid arteries (‘aci’) split from the common carotids (‘ccar’) upon entering the parasphenoid. Then, they extended anterodorsally along a canal formed between the parasphenoid and the braincase, to merge with the anterior opening of the jugular canal. From that point, each external carotid likely bifurcated to a posterior (hyomandibular, not reconstructed) and an anterior (orbital, ‘aorb’) branch. The internal carotids continued anteriorly along parabasal canals below the lateral openings of the posterior myodome. At this point the palatine artery (‘apal’) branched off and continued its anterior course through a parabasal canal, completely enclosed within the parasphenoid. The remaining internal carotid branches enter the ventral part of the orbital region. A foramen for the efferent pseudobranchial artery (‘eps’) opens on each side, anteroventrally to the anterior margin of the posterior myodome (Additional file 3: Figure S2A). Anterior to the pseudobranchial foramina, each internal carotid bifurcated into the (greater) ophthalmic artery (‘oph’) and an ascending (‘ci’) branch. The ophthalmic arteries extended anteriorly and exited the braincase, forming troughs immediately ventral to the optic foramen, while the ascending branches enter the brain cavity through the lower margin of the optic foramen.
The median posterior myodome (Figs. 3a, 4a: ‘pmy’) is well developed and situated in front of the ascending process of the parasphenoid, anteroventral to the anterior opening of the jugular canal. The anterior wall of the posterior myodome is in communication with the hypophyseal chamber. The course of the pituitary vein could not be observed. It was likely confluent with the hypophyseal chamber or with the paired canal for the abducens nerve (‘VI’), which opens on the roof of the myodome. There is no basipterygoid process. The cranial cavity becomes markedly convex above the myodome to accommodate the expanded optic tecta. A foramen for the trochlear nerve (‘IV’) is located on the dorsal margin of this convexity. A foramen for the anterior cerebral vein (‘acv’) opens anterior to the trochlear foramen, followed anteroventrally by the foramen for the olfactory nerve (‘I’), on each side of the specimen. The anterior face of the orbitotemporal region is dominated by the median foramen for the optic nerve (‘II’), which opens onto the posterior margin of the large interorbital fenestra. The optic foramen is flanked on each side by the foramina for the oculomotor nerve (‘III’). The canals for the (greater) ophthalmic artery and potentially the exit of the anterior cerebral artery opens ventral to the optic foramen (Figs. 5e, f, 8: ‘oph’). The olfactory nerve exited the cranial cavity above the mid-length of the optic fenestra. Upon exiting the braincase, each tract extended in a shallow groove along the dorsal margin of the interobital fenestra (‘iof’) to enter the ethmoidal region through a paired, funnel-shaped foramen. The interorbital fenestra is greatly enlarged, reducing the thin interorbital septum to its anterior and anterodorsal parts.
Remarks
An expanded anterior fontanelle is present in most post-Devonian non-neopterygian actinopterygians in which the condition can be assessed [58, 59, 65, 67, 79, 82]. A fossa bridgei is present in most Carboniferous or younger actinopterygians, but unlike in †Saurichthys, it is posteriorly delimited by an endochondral wall [29, 44, 58, 59, 63, 67, 83]. Based on orientation and proximity to the hyomandibula, we hypothesize that the elimination of the posterior wall of the fossa bridgei in †Saurichthys is linked to the attachment of the hyomandibular retractor muscle, and not to the attachment of epaxial musculature, which is the case in many neopterygians [63]. The opening of intramural diverticula in the fossa bridgei is observed in †Kansasiella [65], †Saurichthys (Figs. 6d, e, 7d, e) and Acipenser (Fig. 9g–j, Additional file 3: Figure S3). In the latter two taxa, where the condition can now be assessed, the diverticula are subdivided into two distinct portions on each side and show a similar arrangement. However, the contact between the two portions is contained within the braincase in †Saurichthys, but happens in the fossa bridgei in Acipenser. In Polyodon, but also in †Pteronisculus and †Boreosomus, the lateral cranial canal opens in the floor of the fossa bridgei at a topologically equivalent position [58, 59, 84]. This topological correspondence could be suggestive of homology between intramural diverticula and parts of the lateral cranial canal.
The position of the hyomandibular facet of †Saurichthys, dorsal to the jugular canal, is reminiscent of the condition seen in Devonian actinopterygians [44, 69]. However in the latter, the facet is oriented laterally, rather than posteriorly as in †Saurichthys. The posterior orientation of the †saurichthyid dilatator fossa, which in analogy with modern taxa must have carried the hyoid protractor muscle [73, 76, 77], is similar to that of gars, likely reflecting the elongate geometry of their skulls. It differs from that of most neopterygians [63], in both its position (anterior to hyomandibular facet versus anterodorsal in most neopterygians) and orientation (posterior versus lateral in most neopterygians).
The jugular canal of †Saurichthys resembles that of †Kansasiella, differing from that of †Mimipiscis, †Lawrenciella, Acipenser, and several fossil holosteans in not having the orbital artery entering the jugular canal posteriorly, but rather entering it ventrally along its course [44, 63, 65, 67]. †Saurichthys differs from †Pteronisculus, †Kentuckia, the Greenland †‘Perleidus’ and early teleosts in not exhibiting separate foramina for the exit of the hyomandibular trunk of the facial nerve above the posterior exit of the jugular canal [58, 63, 78]. The profundus nerves also form separate foramina, dorsal–dorsomedial to the anterior opening of the jugular canal in many fossil actinopterygians [44, 58, 63], but likely share the same exit with other nerves in †Saurichthys, †Australosomus, polypterids, and acipenseriforms [59, 73, 79]. The presence of a median posterior myodome in †Saurichthys resembles the condition in †Lawrenciella, †Pteronisculus, †Boreosomus, †Australosomus, and neopterygians [44, 58, 59, 63, 67]. †Yelangichthys, however, exhibits a paired posterior myodome [32]. In stem osteichthyans, sarcopterygians, †Mimipiscis, Polypterus, and acipenseriforms the posterior myodome is absent [18, 44, 74, 79, 85, 86]; (Additional file 3: Figure S3).
An endochondral or dermal basipterygoid process is absent in acipenseriforms, †Saurichthys, †Australosomus, extant polypterids, †Caturus, Amia, and likely also in †Birgeria [6, 7, 29, 59, 74, 79, 83]. A gentle thickening formed by the canal of the pseudobranchial artery was described as an endochondral basipterygoid process in †Yelangichthys [32]. However, its small size and shape contrasts sharply with the well-developed and acute endochondral basipterygoid processes of generalized actinopterygians [44, 58, 65], leading us to also consider it absent.
Ethmoidal region
In dorsal view, the ethmoidal region of NHMD_157546_A widens rapidly before tapering again anteriorly, forming the core of the elongate rostrum of †saurichthyids. The posterior face of the ethmoidal region is concave. Near its contact with the postnasal wall, the interorbital septum (‘ios’) exhibits a dorsal and a ventral fenestra, the dorsal (‘damy’) and ventral (‘vamy’) anterior myodomes, which must have accommodated the superior and the inferior oblique muscles of the eyes, respectively. The olfactory nerve tracts enter the ethmoidal region dorsomedially through a funnel-shaped foramen on each side of the interorbital septum. Posteromedially, the two foramina coalesce with the anterodorsal fenestra of the interorbital septum. A pair of canals likely carrying the branches of the profundus nerve and/or the origin of the inferior oblique muscle (‘vamy+prof?’) merges ventrally with the olfactory canals near their point of entry in the ethmoidal region. No other foramina are present on the posterior wall of the ethmoidal region.
The dorsal face of the ethmoidal region is mostly flat, bearing two shallow, longitudinal depressions on each side (Figs. 3b, 4b), which must have transported the superficial ophthalmic ramus and the ramus ophthalmicus lateralis of the trigeminal nerve (‘Vopts’) and the supraorbital sensory canal (‘soc’). The two external nares open laterally (‘nao’). A groove extends along the lateroventral margin of the ethmoidal region, probably hosting the maxillary trunk of the trigeminal nerve (‘Vmx’). The ventral ethmoidal surface bears a median longitudinal ridge to which the parasphenoid attaches. This ridge is flanked by a shallow longitudinal depression on each side. A shallow, V-shaped fossa for the articulation of the autopalatine (‘auf’) is present on both posterolateral margins of the ventral ethmoidal region (Figs. 3c, 4c). The endoskeletal anatomy of the rostrum is not well resolved in our scan, but we note the presence of wide nasobasal canals (Figs. 6, 7: ‘nbc’) beginning at the anterior margin of the nasal cavity and extending anteriorly along the preserved length of the rostrum. The area immediately posterior to the nasal cavities is weakly mineralized, exhibiting asymmetrical, pocket-like spaces.
Remarks
See remarks section for †Saurichthys nepalensis below.
Brain and inner ear endocasts
The roof of the brain endocast (Figs. 6, 7) and the floor of the saccular recess (‘sac’) of NHMD_157546_A are incompletely mineralized and cannot be reconstructed. The remainder of the endocast shows increased anatomical complexity (non tube-like), reflecting the position and relative development of different sensory centers, unlike in e.g., teleosts, where there is almost no correspondence between endocast and brain anatomy [18, 87]. The brain endocast is markedly elongate and narrow in dorsal view, except in the area of the optic tectum (‘to’). Anteriorly, it terminates above the mid-length of the interorbital fenestra. The different sensory regions appear serially arranged.
The rhombencephalic region, including the cerebellum, constitutes more than two thirds of the endocast length, reaching anterior to the crus communis (‘cc’). A spinooccipital nerve canal (‘nocc’) and a canal for an additional spinooccipital nerve or the occipital artery stem from posterior to anterior on the base of the rhombencephalon, on each side of the specimen. Anteriorly, the rhombencephalic region gains height and leads to a dorsally bulging globular structure between the posterior semicircular canals. The vagus stems from the base of this globular structure, which we thus interpret as the vagal lobe (‘vl’) of the rhombencephalon (e.g., [88]). Two mineralized canals (‘n?’), one on each side, stem from the dorsal surface of the vagal lobe, and could be associated with dorsal rami of the IX or X cranial nerves. Their dissociation from the osseus labyrinth endocast (sinus superior) precludes their attribution to endolymphatic ducts. Immediately anterior to the vagal lobe, the lateral cranial canal (‘lcc’) forms a laterally-bulging, blind-ended diverticulum, terminating medially to the loop of the posterior semicircular canal (‘psc’). Anterior to the lateral cranial canal, the brain endocast is markedly constricted by the overarching development of the bony labyrinth, whose crura communes converge medially, above the hindbrain part of the endocast.
The cerebellar auricles (‘aur’) are poorly developed and expand laterally, in front of the crura communes, being dorsally restricted by the anterior semicircular canals (‘asc’). The facial nerve exits below the junction between the anterior and the horizontal semicircular canals, to enter the jugular canal. The stem of the abducens nerve exits from the ventral surface of the endocast, at the level of the anterior tip of the cerebellum, and enters the posterior myodome. The trigeminal nerve exits at the same level, at about mid-height of the brain endocast. A downward-facing canal for the median cerebral vein (‘mcv’) is situated at the boundary between each cerebellar auricle and the optic tectum.
The optic tectum is well-developed laterally. The trochlear nerve branches off anteriorly from the anterolateral surface of the optic tectum. Ventrally, there is no differentiation between the latter and the diencephalon. The posterior margin of the hypophyseal recess is not mineralized; hence, the extent of the saccus vasculosus cannot be assessed. The dorsum sellae is reduced to a bony bar (‘bb’), separating the hypophyseal recess from the overlying mesencephalon. The buccohypophyseal canal (‘bhc’) extends posteroventrally through the parasphenoid, but the course of the pituitary vein is not observable. The optic nerve exits through an enlarged median optic foramen below the boundary between the optic tectum and the telencephalon (‘tel’). The posterior boundary of the telencephalon is marked by a gentle constriction, separating it from the bulge of the tectal and the underlying diencephalic regions. The telencephalon is short. The olfactory bulbs stem from the anteroventral part of the telencephalon. The two tracts of the olfactory nerve originate at the anterior tip of the telencephalon and are well separated along their length by the interorbital septum, being uninvested for much of the course through the orbit. They diverge laterally upon entering the ethmoidal region, leading to sizable nasal cavities.
The bony labyrinth of NHMD_157546_A is well ossified, apart from the ventral part of the saccular recess. Medially, in the absence of an ossified boundary, it is continuous with the rest of the endocranial cavity. The semicircular canals are large and robust, with the posterior and especially the anterior ones being dorsoventrally shallow. This compression is natural and not due to post-mortem distortion. The posterior semicircular canal is the shortest of the three and is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened. A small constriction precedes the sizable posterior ampulla (‘pamp’). The anterior canal is the largest of the three; it is flattened dorsoventrally, forming a sharp anterior angle. The region around the anterior ampulla (‘aamp’) is thicker and is separated by both the dorsal part of the canal and the utricular recess by means of gentle constrictions. The utriculus (‘utr’) appears as a lateral projection of the endocast and is somewhat flat rather than globular. The ampulla of the horizontal canal (‘hamp’) extends dorsal to the utriculus. The horizontal canal (‘hsc’) forms a hemi-elliptical curve. It enters the cranial cavity slightly ventral to the level of the posterior ampulla. The sinus superior is short. The saccular recess is laterally convex, but its full ventral extent is not visible due to the absence of mineralization. The stem of the glossopharyngeal nerve is situated on the boundary between the sacculus and the ampullary space of the posterior semicircular canal.
Remarks
The anatomy of non-neopterygian actinopterygian brain endocasts is thought to mirror that of the contained soft tissues [18, 87], due to the presence of only a single layer of meningeal tissue separating the latter from the braincase [89] Descriptions of partial brain and/or inner ear endocasts were provided for †Saurichthys ornatus, †S. elongatus, †S. hamiltoni and †S. minimahleri [29, 90]. The digital endocast presented here is the first to depict the brain and inner ear cavities of the same individual in all views, and conveys information missing in previous studies. This is a valuable addition to the small number of fossil actinopterygian endocasts described to date (see supplement to [87] and [3, 69, 82, 91] for more recent entries). Surprisingly, endocast information is still lacking for extant non-teleostean actinopterygians, with the exception of Acipenser brevirostrum (Fig. 9) and Erpetoichthys (partial endocast in supplement to [12]).
In most Paleozoic–early Mesozoic species, the area of the vagal lobe is confluent with the posterior dorsal fontanelle. Nevertheless, a prominent vagal swelling, like that of †Saurichthys, was reconstructed for †Lawrenciella, †Kansasiella, and †Pteronisculus [58, 65, 67], and is also present in the endocast of Acipenser (Fig. 9). In life, however, this part of the brain of sturgeons is narrow and rod shaped, and does not fill the vagal space [73]:fig. 270a. A pronounced mismatch between endocast and brain morphology at the level of the vagal lobe has also been demonstrated for the lungfish Neoceratodus [92], suggesting that paleoneurological information from this region of the endocast of bony fishes should be treated with caution.
Primitively for actinopterygians, the lateral cranial canal was a blind-ending pocket extending from the endocavity through the posterior semicircular canal [3, 44, 65, 67, 69], and a similar arrangement is also seen in †Saurichthys and possibly in extant polypterids [12]. In Acipenser, the lateral cranial canal is absent (Fig. 9), but in Polyodon it is present and extends laterally through the loop of the posterior semicircular canal, to connect with the fossa bridgei [84]. This is suggestive of increased variation of this feature even amongst closely related taxa. In fossil holosteans and stem teleosts, the lateral cranial canal wraps around the sinus superior to form an additional connection with the endocavity, through the loop of the anterior semicircular canal [63, 83, 91]. The lateral cranial canal is lost in extant holosteans and crown teleosts [63, 83]. The function of the lateral cranial canal is unknown, but an association with the lateral development of an epimyelencephalic hemopoetic organ has been suggested [85, 93].
In †Saurichthys, the cerebellum appears small, due to the extensive development of the optic tecta. An increase in tectal development relative to the cerebellum is also commonly seen in neopterygians, and is particularly pronounced in teleosts [91, 94]. Primitively, in the endocasts of †Mimipiscis, †Raynerius, †Pteronisculus, and to a lesser extent in those of †Kansasiella and †Lawrenciella, the cerebellar auricles are broader than the optic tecta [58, 65, 69, 87]. In Acipenser, the auricular space is also broader than the tectal space (Fig. 9), but the optic tectum remains poorly differentiated, despite a clear separation between the two sensory centers in the actual brain [73]. In Erpetoichthys, the auricles are poorly differentiated, but still broader than the optic tecta [12]:ext. fig. 9. A poor differentiation of tectal and auricular spaces is also seen in †Boreosomus [58]. In †Saurichthys, †Mimipiscis [87], and †Pteronisculus [58], the middle cerebral vein enters the endocast below the cerebellar auricles. In †Kansasiella and †Lawrenciella, it reaches the dorsolateral surface of the auricles [65, 67, 82]. The arrangement of this vessel is unknown in other taxa. The stem of the trochlear nerve lies in a dorsolateral position on the optic tectum in †Saurichthys, †Mimipiscis [87], †Pteronisculus [58], and, albeit less so, in †Kentuckia [87]. In †Kansasiella, †Lawrenciella, and †Mesopoma, it extends from the ventrolateral part of the optic tectum [18, 65, 67, 82].
A well-developed hypophyseal chamber with a clearly differentiated and prominent saccus vasculosus and a ventrally-to-anteroventrally directed buccohypophyseal duct characterize all known Paleozoic actinopterygians, as well as †Pteronisculus and †Australosomus [18, 58, 59, 65, 67, 82, 87]. †Saurichthys shares with sturgeons and bichirs a posteroventrally directed hypophyseal void, differing from that of other non-neopterygian actinopterygians [18, 94]. In neopterygians, the hypophyseal chamber is almost vertical, but the space of the saccus vasculosus is reduced [39, 91]. A rod-like bony bar, which likely corresponds to the dorsum sellae, drives laterally through the endocast, above the saccus vasculosus. This is not seen in any actinopterygian other than †Saurichthys.
The olfactory bulbs are merged with the telencephalon in the endocast of †Mimipiscis [87], Polypterus, and Acipenser [18, 94], but are better marked by a dorsal to lateral constriction in †Saurichthys, †Kansasiella, †Lawrenciella, †Mesopoma, and extant neopterygians [18, 65, 67, 82, 94]. Primitively, the olfactory nerves are not carried in a single tract, with paired tracts present in actinopterygian outgroups (e.g., [85] and also in †Mimipiscis [87]). This condition re-evolved in acipenseriforms (Fig. 9). †Saurichthys also shows distinct olfactory tracts, but these are carried in shallow grooves on the lateral surface of the interorbital septum, as in gars (pers. obs. on PIMUZ A/I 4171a). In most Paleozoic–Triassic actinopterygians and Amia, the olfactory tracts are transmitted to the ethmoidal region via a median endochondral tube [39, 58, 59, 65, 67, 70, 82, 87, 91].
The overall morphology of the osseus labyrinth of †Saurichthys is broadly similar to that of generalized non-neopterygian actinopterygians [87], with a few notable modifications. The large degree of medial convergence of the crura communes is the most distinct feature of the osseus labyrinth of †Saurichthys. A reduced level of crural convergence, but a greater degree of superimposition on the brain cavity, occurs in †Meemania, †Mimipiscis and to a lesser degree in †Raynerius [3, 69, 87]. Crural convergence is seen in some neopterygians [91] and polypterids [12], but superimposition is typically absent in other actinopterygians [12, 18, 39, 58, 59, 65, 67, 87, 91]; Fig. 9). In sarcopterygians [95], and less so in †Mimipiscis, †Kentuckia [87], †Pteronisculus [58] and fossil neopterygians [91], there is a ventrally expanded utricular recess. This feature is less pronounced in †Saurichthys, polypterids [12], Acipenser (Fig. 9) and in other non-neopterygians [59, 67].
Parasphenoid and associated dermal bones
The parasphenoid of †Saurichthys is cross-shaped in ventral view (Figs. 3c, d, 4c, d), bearing a well-developed posterior stalk that underlies the occipital region and projects posterior to the braincase. The posterior margin of the parasphenoid is notched at the midline, presumably for the passage of the aorta, although the exact shape is obscured due to breakage. Ventrally, there is a prominent median keel (‘pspk’) that extends from slightly anterior to the posterior notch to the level of the ascending processes, where the foramina for the passage of the common carotids (‘ccar’) into the braincase are located. Anterior to the foramina for the common carotids, the keel of the parasphenoid blends gently into the convex ventral surface of the anterior process of the bone. The ventral keel of the parasphenoid is laterally concave on both sides, marking the external course of the common carotids. The branching of the common carotids from the dorsal aorta must have occurred immediately posterior to the ventral keel. The ascending processes (‘asp’) of the parasphenoid extend dorsally and posteriorly, passing over the lateral commissure, to terminate anterolateral to the hyomandibular facets, near the dorsal margin of the braincase. The lateral surface of each ascending process bears a spiracular groove (‘spig’). The anterior process of the parasphenoid is narrower than the posterior one, but is elongate; it can be followed anteriorly all the way below the preserved part of the ethmoidal region, where it overlies the vomers. The buccohypophyseal canal (‘bhc’) opens on the ventral keel of the parasphenoid. A median parasphenoid canal runs through the buccohypophyseal canal, reaching the level of the anterior margin of the interorbital fenestra, where it opens ventrally (‘apal’). This canal must have accommodated the palatine branch of the internal carotid artery and we consider it to be homologous with the parabasal canals of other actinopterygians. A small patch of tiny teeth occurs on the parasphenoid, slightly anterior to the palatine opening.
The paired vomers are elongate and underlie the parasphenoid. Their posterior tips lie slightly rostral to the anterior margin of the orbit, whereas their anterior tips could not be located due to breakage. Each vomer forms an elongate toothplate that bears numerous tiny teeth. The two vomers seem to form a midline suture, whose posterior end is located at the level of the anterior margin of the anterior narial opening. No teeth are observed along the suture line.
Remarks
The well-developed posterior stalk as well as the high ascending processes distinguish the parasphenoid of †Saurichthys from the primitive actinopterygian condition, exemplified by the lozenge-shaped parasphenoid of †Raynerius and †Mimipiscis [44, 69]. Ascending processes are typically more developed in post-Devonian actinopterygians, but in many generalized forms the posterior stem still stops short of the occipital region and rarely underlies the ventral otic fissure [39, 40, 44, 52, 58, 59, 67, 96, 97]. The parasphenoid crosses the ventral otic fissure in several Carboniferous and younger actinopterygians, e.g., in †Amphicentrum, †Eurynotus, †Sphaerolepis, †Errolichthys, †Birgeria, and early neopterygians like †Watsonulus, whereas in polypterids and most neopterygians it reaches the level of, and sutures with, the basioccipital and when this can be assessed incorporated vertebrae [7, 9, 40, 59, 63, 64, 79, 98,99,100]. At least in Early Triassic †saurichthyids [29] and in sturgeons [73,74,75], the parasphenoid extends well past the occiput, underlying a variable number of rigidly-connected vertebrae (Additional file 3: Figure S3). As with †Saurichthys, the posterior stem of the parasphenoid also bears a notch (albeit deeper) in Polypterus, Acipenser, Polyodon, Lepisosteus, Amia, as well as in fossils such as †Amphicentrum, and †Birgeria [6, 7, 9, 29, 59, 64, 79].
A closer comparison between the parasphenoid of †Saurichthys and that of Acipenser reveals conspicuous differences in basicranial circulation that contradict orthodox hypotheses of a close relationship between the two. The parasphenoid of Acipenser lacks the enclosed arterial system [73] seen in †Saurichthys (Fig. 8). In Acipenser, the two variably present ventral foramina on the posterior process of the parasphenoid serve as the exit of the aortic branch that later gives off the first and second efferent branchial arteries and the common carotids [73](Additional file 3: Figure S4). These foramina have been erroneously homologized with the foramina serving as the entrance for the common carotids in †Saurichthys [16]. Like in most sturgeons, the common carotids run and bifurcate below the parasphenoid and enter the neurocranium at different points in Polyodon [72]. Furthermore, a buccohypophyseal opening is absent in acipenseriforms, and their anterior parasphenoid process terminates underneath the posterior ethmoidal region, giving way to a pair of edentulous vomers [6, 74]. In some Middle Triassic †saurichthyids from China and Switzerland, as well as in †Saurorhynchus, the efferent pseudobranchial artery exits through the foramina located near the base of the ascending processes of the parasphenoid [22, 23, 30]. Foramina or notches for internal carotid branches are present in the parasphenoid of †Boreosomus [58], most Mesozoic holosteans and stem teleosts [63].
The paired vomers and associated toothplates of NHMD_157546_A, and other †saurichthyids [29, 30] seem to reflect the primitive actinopterygian condition, as seen in anatomically generalized Paleozoic (e.g., †Mimipiscis and †Moythomasia) [44] and Mesozoic (e.g., †Pteronisculus and †Australosomus) [58, 59] taxa. This paired vomerine architecture is also encountered in extant holosteans [7, 9]. The presence of a median vomer and associated toothplate in the adult has evolved independently in several clades, such as Cladistia [79], inclusive of †scanilepiforms [12], some stem neopterygians (e.g., †Luganoia) [101], and teleosts [102]. A single vomer, with a toothplate that bears larger teeth along its midline, has been observed in the †saurichthyiform †Yelangichthys [32]. Given the broader distribution of this feature, we consider this condition as an apomorphy of †Yelangichthys. Acipenseriforms possess a series of paired or median, vomer-like elements, which may vary in number and which lie immediately anterior to the parasphenoid [6, 74]. The homology of these elements is yet unclear, though the posterior-most ossifications have been considered as vomers [6, 74].
Palatoquadrate and associated dermal ossifications of the cheek
The palate of †Saurichthys (Fig. 10a–e) consists of rigidly connected dermal and endochondral ossifications that hosted the enlarged mandibular adductor muscle. The palatoquadrate is endochondrally ossified in at least two, and potentially three, parts. The quadrate (‘q’) forms the posteroventral margin of the endochondral palate, and the metapterygoid (‘mtp’) forms the dorsal margin. These two elements were previously described in †Saurichthys as being fused into a quadratometapterygoid [29], but no endochondral connection between the two was evident in the scan of NHMD_157546_A. An independent autopalatine (‘au’) forms the anterior margin of the endochondral palate. The quadrate forms the posterior margin of the adductor mandibulae fenestra (‘addf’) and bears two convex ventral condyles for articulation with the articular bone of the lower jaw. Medially, it exhibits a dorsoventrally oblique groove, where the ventral limb of the hyomandibula was accommodated. The metapterygoid is neither fenestrated, nor does it show any kind of anterodorsally expanded articular process. The only direct articulation between each palate and the neurocranium is seen anteriorly, where the independently ossified, triangular, pad-shaped autopalatine inserts to a similarly shaped fossa on the posterolateral floor of the ethmoidal region of the braincase.
Due to thinness, strong fusion among individual elements and breakage, the margins between individual bones of the dermal palate could not be reconstructed. The dermal palate (‘dpal’) forms a medially convex, cleaver-shaped apparatus. Laterally, it is rigidly connected to the maxilla. The posteroventral margin of the palate forms the anterior and medial surfaces of the large adductor foramen. The medial surface of the dermal palate, which likely corresponds to the area occupied by the entopterygoid [29], bears a prominent median shelf (‘pals’) along the length of its posterior half, which was likely associated with the palatine levator muscle, or with other ligaments connecting it to the parasphenoid. The anterodorsal margin of the bone is concave, without forming evident articular processes. The lingual surface of the dermal palate, anterior to the adductor fossa, bears sparsely arranged tiny teeth. Anteriorly, the part corresponding to the dermopalatine [29] forms a ventromedial crest that bears better defined, tiny teeth and occludes with the dorsomedial surface of the prearticular crest.
The maxilla is cleaver-shaped (Fig. 11), forming an expanded posterior plate to which the arcuate preopercle (posterodorsally) and the quadratojugal (posteroventrally) suture to form a rigid unit. As with most other superficial dermal elements, the dermal bones of the cheek are poorly preserved in the specimen. The preoperculum is boomerang shaped, forming two distinct limbs, a horizontal and a more robust vertical one, separated by a dorsovental constriction of the bone. The course of the preopercular canal could not be clearly traced. The dorsal and posterior surfaces of the bone meet almost at a right angle, forming a rounded posterodorsal corner.
Remarks
A single, endochondral palatal ossification persists throughout ontogeny in most non-neopterygian actinopterygians, such as †Cheirolepis, †Moythomasia, the Madagascan †Pteronisculus, †Australosomus, and seemingly some neopterygians [44, 59, 103, 104]. In other non-teleostean actinopterygians, the adult palatoquadrate consists of distinct bones (or cartilages) arising from different ossification centers and exhibiting several variations [104], none of which includes a separate autopalatine and quadratometapterygoid ossifications as postulated by Stensiö [29] for †Saurichthys. The palatoquadrate of NHMD_157546_A likely conformed to the tripartite ossification pattern seen in polypterids, acipenseriforms, †Birgeria stensioei, †Watsonulus, Amia, and many teleosts [46, 47, 58, 74, 98, 104].
A high posterior extension of the palate is the plesiomorphic condition seen in Devonian actinopterygians [44, 103], and retained in most generalized forms of the Paleozoic and the Mesozoic [58, 59], including †Saurichthys. In †Saurichthys, †Fukangichthys, †Birgeria, and †Woodichthys, the dorsal part of the palatoquadrate forms no evident processes for articulation with the neurocranium [12, 59, 97]. In Devonian actinopterygians, the metapterygoid bears a circular opening for articulation with the basipterygoid process of the neurocranium [44, 103], whereas, in stratigraphically younger forms, the metapterygoid forms a notch (e.g., †Australosomus, [59]) or two processes (†Pteronisculus, Amia, [58, 104]) for articulation with the neurocranium and/or the attachment of ligaments connecting to the parasphenoid. As in other non-neopterygian actinopterygians [44, 58, 59, 79], the maxilla of †Saurichthys is non-kinetic. The shape of the preopercle of NHMD_157546_A is similar to the preopercle of †Saurichthys cf. elongatus from the Early Triassic (late Smithian) of Idaho [28] in exhibiting a dorsoventrally-wide horizontal limb. An anterior thickening of the preopercle is absent in †Saurichthys ornatus, or in any other species from Spitsbergen [29].
Dermal bones of the skull roof and rostrum
Our observations on NHMD_157546_A (Fig. 11) are in agreement with those of Mutter et al. [54], although further information on the skull roof is provided here, following our examination of the dorsal counterpart of the fossil. The superficial layers of the dermal bones, which bear ganoin ornamentation and the sensory canals, are missing from NHMD_157546_A, but are preserved in the counterpart. A single pair of elliptically shaped median extrascapulars (‘exsc’) is present on the posteromedial part of the skull roof, giving way anterolaterally to a pair of elongate dermopterotics (‘dpt’). The latter converge on the midline, but their anterior and posterior ends flare laterally. Part of the endochondral occipital crest (‘occ’) appears between the posterior part of the dermopterotics and the median extrascapulars, due to removal of the superficial layers of the bone during preparation. A field that contained the paired parietal bones (‘pa’) is present between the anterior part of the dermopterotics and the frontals (‘fr’). There is one semicircular parietal on each side of the midline. Each parietal seems to carry two pit lines (‘papl’), one extending posteromedially from the anterolateral part of the bone, and one extending medially from the lateral edge of the bone. The frontals are elongate and roughly triangular and taper rostrally, but their anterior tip is not preserved due to breakage in NHMD_157546_A. The frontals bear a lateral notch posteriorly for accommodating the supraorbital elements.
Anterior and lateral to the orbit, the frontals give way to the so-called nasalo-antorbitals (‘nsao’), which cover the posterolateral part of the rostrum, and encompass both narial openings (‘nao’) and the horizontal and ascending portions of the infraorbital sensory canal (‘ioc’), and its commissure with the supraorbital sensory canal. The ventrolateral margin of the preserved rostrum is occupied by the tooth-bearing rostropremaxilla (‘rpmx’). It is unclear whether the rostropremaxilla is paired or median, due to breakage. We did not find evidence for an ethmoidal sensory canal, but it is unclear if it was destroyed during preparation. The rostropremaxilla is ornamented with subvertical striae, as seen in some parts where the superficial ornamentation is preserved, and is also intimately connected with the maxilla (‘mx’). It comprises a dorsoventrally oriented lamina and a medially directed shelf, extending below the ethmoidal region and connecting medially with the vomers. The ventromedial part of the lamina bears two rows of sparsely arranged teeth. There is one marginal row of ventrally directed tiny conical teeth, and another row of ventromedially directed tiny teeth, the latter being interrupted at points by large laniaries. The median shelf of the rostropremaxilla forms a rostrocaudally directed groove for the accommodation of the largest teeth of the dentary. Large teeth also develop on that groove.
Remarks
One pair of (median) extrascapulars is present in most Early Triassic †saurichthyids and in the Middle Triassic †Sinosaurichthys, but an independent ossification is not apparent in other Middle Triassic or younger forms [23, 25, 29, 30, 40]. A second extrascapular pair is present in at least some specimens of †Saurichthys madagascariensis [25]. One or two pairs (median and lateral) of extrascapulars, typically carrying the supratemporal sensory commissure, are usually present in non-neopterygian actinopterygians [20, 44, 52, 58, 59, 105]. An increased number of extrascapular elements is seen, for example, in †Chondrosteus (one median, three paired; [11]). Living non-neopterygian actinopterygians display important inter- and intraspecific variations, with three to four paired extrascapular-like elements present on the skull of Polypterus [9, 80], one to two paired extrascapulars and a median extrascapular in Acipenser [74], and two paired extrascapulars in Polyodon [6].
In most actinopterygians, including most †saurichthyiforms, a single pair of parietals meets at the midline [17, 23, 25, 30, 32, 44, 52, 58]. Two pairs of parietals are present in †Saurichthys ornatus from Spitsbergen [29], suggesting that a different specific attribution of the Greenland specimen is warranted. A large number of tiny parietals is present in †Saurichthys piveteaui [39]. Additional variation in the number and shape of the parietals can also be seen in the sympatric †Saurichthys species from the Upper Buntsandstein (Anisian) [90].
Primitively, in Devonian and some Carboniferous actinopterygians, the supratemporal sensory canal is carried by two bones, the supratemporal posteriorly and the intertemporal anteriorly [44, 69, 96, 97, 106, 107]. In younger forms, like †Saurichthys, †Birgeria, †Pteronisculus, †Australosomus, †Fukangichthys, fossil neopterygians, and all extant actinopterygians, a single bone, the dermopterotic, occupies this position [6, 7, 9, 20, 29, 30, 58, 59, 74, 80, 98, 102]. One pair of frontals is present on the actinopterygian skull roof, bearing the supraorbital sensory canal and enclosing the pineal opening, when present [17, 44, 52, 58, 59, 69].
Uniquely among actinopterygians, †saurichthyiforms possess likely compound nasalo-antorbitals [23, 29, 30, 32], a term established on the fact that these bones carry both narial openings and the triradiate canal, formed by the horizontal, the ascending and the ethmoidal rami of the infraorbital sensory canal. The traditional terminology is retained herein. In most other non-neopterygian actinopterygians, the anterior nares are situated between the nasal and adjacent bones (either rostral or postrostral, e.g. in †Mimipiscis, †Birgeria, †Pteronisculus), and the posterior nares are located between the nasal and the antorbital (e.g. †Birgeria), or between the nasal and the orbital opening (e.g., †Mimipiscis, †Boreosomus, †Pteronisculus) [44, 58, 59]. The triradiate canal is primitively accommodated in the premaxilla [44], but in many late Paleozoic and younger taxa (e.g., †Kalops, †Birgeria, †Teffichthys, Amia) it is accommodated in an independent ossification, the antorbital [7, 59, 108, 109]. A commissure between the infraorbital and supraorbital canals accommodated between the nostrils occurs in some generalized genera like †Kalops and †Boreosomus [58, 108], in †saurichthyiforms [23, 29]; Fig. 11c, d), and stem (e.g., †Teffichthys [109]) and crown neopterygians [7, 9]. A commissure between the two sensory canals is absent in †Birgeria [59]. In Acipenseriformes, the infraorbital sensory canal does not form an ascending ramus [6, 74]. In Polypterus, the connection between the infraorbital and supraorbital canals takes place anterior to the single narial opening, through a likely compound element formed by the premaxilla and the rostral [80].
The prominent †saurichthyid rostrum is formed mainly by the rostropremaxilla(e), whose ontogenetic origin remains unknown. Due to the acuteness of the snout, it is unclear if these elements are paired [23, 29, 30] or unpaired [25]. The presence of an anterior ramus of the infraorbital sensory canal and teeth in the rostropremaxillae of most †saurichthyids [23, 29, 30], combined with their topology and posterior development, suggests that the premaxilla, and potentially the rostral, plays an integral part in the development of the rostrum. This also seems to also apply to †Birgeria, although in the latter taxon the rostropremaxilla additionally borders the anterior narial opening [59]. In primitive actinopterygians, the anterior-most rostral is often expanded ventrally, bears the ethmoidal commissure and teeth, and forms the anterodorsal tip of the oral rim, for instance in †Moythomasia [44]. The rostral is flanked by paired premaxillae, bearing the anterior and the ascending rami of the infraorbital sensory canal [44]. Loss, fusion or fragmentation of those elements is common in non-neopterygians (e.g., in †Wendyichthys, †Cyranorhis, †Pteronisculus, †Australosomus and in acipenseriforms, the premaxilla is probably absent, [40, 58, 59, 74, 106]), but a detailed discussion is beyond the scope of this work.
A pair of postrostral elements, situated between the frontals and the rostropremaxilla(e), is potentially present in Early Triassic †Saurichthys species from Spitsbergen [29].
A higher number of postrostrals were tentatively reconstructed for †S. stensioi and †S. piveteaui from Madagascar [39, 40]. Postrostrals are unknown in most other †saurichthyids [22, 23, 25, 30], although a single pair was tentatively reconstructed for †Saurorhynchus acutus [110].
Circumorbital bones and ossifications of the orbit
Most circumorbital bones of NHMD_157546_A have been pushed medially inside the orbits and are still covered by matrix (Figs. 1a, 2a). As a result, they were not previously described [54]. The dorsal margin of the orbit is formed by one or two supraorbitals (incompletely preserved and broken on both sides of the skull, ‘so’) and the dermosphenotic (‘dsph’). Mutter et al. [54] misidentified the externally exposed postorbital process of the braincase as the dermosphenotic. The dermosphenotic is anteroposteriorly elongate and laterally convex and bears a broad ventral articulation surface for the attachment of the jugal. The jugal (‘ju’), being anteriorly concave and posteriorly convex, forms the posterior margin of the orbit. It starts vertically below the dermosphenotic, but forms a gentle anterior curve and tapers towards its articulation with the second infraorbital (‘io2’). The latter is talon shaped and forms the posterior part of the ventral orbital margin. The infraorbital canal passes anteriorly to an elongate first infraorbital (Fig. 11: ‘io1’), wedged between the nasalo-antorbital and the anterior prossess of the maxilla. A single, well-developed, sub-triangular anamestic suborbital (‘subo’) bone covers the space between the jugal and the expanded posterodorsal process of the maxilla. All the above dermal bones are ornamented with tubercles that are sometimes connected to form short, vermiform ridges.
A thin sclerotic ring (Figs. 1a, b, 2a, b: ‘sclt’) is preserved in situ on both sides of the skull. The number of individual ossifications could not be confidently determined. The diameter of the sclerotic ring is only slightly smaller than that of the enlarged orbital space. The outer dorsal and ventral surfaces of the sclerotic ossicles are ornamented with randomly arranged turbercles, whereas the inner surface is smooth. Traces of the cartilaginous sclera (‘scla’) are also preserved, contained within the sclerotic rings and curving towards the midline of the skull.
Remarks
Amongst †saurichthyids, supraorbitals seem to be restricted to Early Triassic forms [25, 29, 39, 40] (Figs. 1a, 2a), and are unknown from stratigraphically younger species [22, 23, 27, 30]. Supraorbitals are primitively absent in actinopterygians [18, 40, 44, 58, 59, 96], but are also absent in Polypterus and Amia [7, 80]. One supraorbital is present in †Discoserra, Acipenser, †Watsonulus, and gars, but three or more are seen in forms like †Kalops, †scanilepids, stem neopterygians (†‘subholosteans’) such as †Luganoia and †Peltopleurus, and some stem teleosts [9, 12, 20, 74, 101, 102, 108, 111, 112]. The dermosphenotic of †Saurichthys resembles that of e.g., †Pteronisculus, †Boreosomus and Acipenser [58, 74] in lacking a posterior process. This contrasts with both the primitive actinopterygian condition and that seen in e.g., †Birgeria groenlandica and extant forms like Polyodon, where the dermosphenotic forms a posterior process [6, 59].
NHMD_157546_A resembles the Early Triassic †saurichthyids from Spitsbergen [29] and Madagascar [39] in exhibiting three infraorbitals. This seems to be the primitive condition in the group. All Devonian and most Carboniferous actinopterygians exhibit two infraorbitals: a jugal (forming the posteroventral margin of the orbit) and a first infraorbital (or lachrymal, forming the anteroventral margin of the orbit) [44, 96, 105]. Additional infraorbitals, often more than one, are seen in many stratigraphically younger forms like †Boreosomus [58] and †Birgeria [59]. At least two infraorbitals are present in Acipenser [74], whereas numerous small, canal-bearing ossicles are seen in Polyodon [6]. Only a single infraorbital bone is present in Polypterus, with the infraorbital canal largely borne by the maxilla [80]. †Scanilepids have two infraorbitals [19, 20].
The numbers of suborbital bones vary greatly in post-Devonian actinopterygians, with Early Triassic †saurichthyids having one [29] (Fig. 1a, 2a), †Pteronisculus having two or more, †Boreosomus having five [58], and †Birgeria having more than 10 [59]. No suborbitals are known in post-Early Triassic †saurichthyids [22, 23, 27, 30]. Suborbitals are absent in extant Acipenseriformes [6, 74]. A series of small anamestic bones homologous to suborbitals, but referred to as ‘spiraculars’, separate the cheek from the orbit and the dorsal skull roof in extant polypteriforms [80]; three of these elements are typically present in †scanilepids [12]. In Amia the suborbitals are also absent, whereas in Lepisosteiformes they are greatly reduced in size and multiplied to form a mosaic on the lateral surface of the cheek [7, 9]. Numerous suborbitals are present in stem teleosts, but are absent in extant taxa [102].
Lower jaw
The lower jaws are almost straight (Figs. 10h–k, 11). Three dermal bones are seen on the lateral surface of each mandible. The posterolateral corner is occupied by the elongate, triangular surangular (‘sang’). The angular (‘ang’), on the posteroventral corner of the jaw, is more elongate and reaches the level of the external nares anteriorly. Though damaged during preparation, a faint groove along its ventral margin indicates the course of the mandibular sensory canal (‘mdc’). Posteriorly, it wraps around the posterior surface of the articular and reaches the posteromedial surface of the lower jaw. The dentary (‘d’) is the largest and the main dentigerous bone of the lower jaw. It begins posteriorly between the angular and the supraangular, and in †saurichthyids it usually extends to the symphysis. Only its dorsal part is visible in our tomograms. The dentary curves medially to form a medial dermal lamina, which supports an elongate dental lamina along its preserved length. The tooth plate is occupied by patches of tiny teeth, starting from below the otic region of the neurocranium and becoming more numerous and better developed anteriorly. Starting from the level below the nostril and extending to the tip of the preserved part of the jaw, a single file of coarsely-spaced, caniniform teeth interrupt the continuity of smaller tooth patches. Although few caniniform teeth are actually preserved in our specimen, we can deduce that they occur in alternate positions between the two jaws, forming a dental basket. The base of the caniniform teeth is made of crenelated dentine (plicidentine), while the apex is formed by an acrodin cap, equal or slightly shorter than a fifth of the tooth height. The pulp cavity is wide and terminates slightly above the mid-height of the tooth, but does not reach into the acrodin cap (Additional file 3: Figure S2B, C). Caniniform teeth in the upper jaw seem to share the same structure.
The large prearticular (‘part’) covers most of the dorsomedial aspect of the lower jaw posteriorly, and tapers anteriorly. A dorsolateral projection of the bone articulates between the medial dermal lamina of the dentary and the overlying dental lamina. Miniscule teeth appear at the same level as the teeth of the dentary. More anteriorly, below the mid-length of the orbit, the prearticular forms a dorsomedial crest, which becomes more prominent at the level of appearance of the caniniform teeth of the dentary. This crest is largely edentulous and occluded with the vomers.
The endochondral articular (‘art’) is triangular in shape and bears a dorsal glenoid fossa with two pits for the articulation of the condyles of the quadrate. Anteroventrally, the articular passes to the very thin and weakly ossified meckelian cartilage (‘mk’). It is unclear if the two elements were connected. The meckelian cartilage is ventral to the prearticular and partially covered by the latter bone, taking the form of an internal lining. A series of wide, circular ventral openings is present and can be associated with the innervation from the trigeminal nerve (‘Vmand’). A large fenestra for the mandibular adductor muscle is present on the posterodorsal corner of the bone, immediately anterior to the articular, and is bounded by the articular, the dentary and the prearticular bones.
Remarks
A surangular in the lower jaw seems primitively present in Devonian actinopterygians [69, 105, 113], and is common in Permian–Triassic taxa such as †Saurichthys, †Pteronisculus, †Australosomus, †Birgeria, †Fukangichthys, and early crown neopterygians, like †Watsonulus and †‘pholidophorids’ [12, 29, 58, 59, 98, 102]. Loss of the surangular has occurred multiple times in non-neopterygians, like e.g., †Mimipiscis, †Gogosardina, †Amphicentrum, †Aesopichthys, acipenseriforms and Polypterus [44, 64, 80, 114, 115]. †Saurichthys, like most fossil non-neopterygian actinopterygians, lacks a coronoid process in the lower jaw for the attachment of the mandibular adductor muscle [44, 58, 59]. By contrast, cladistians (inclusive of †Fukangichthys), †Birgeria and neopterygians bear a dermal coronoid process. The components of this structure vary between groups, suggesting multiple independent origins [12, 59, 80, 98]. The lower jaw dentitions of Early Triassic †saurichthyids have neither been described nor adequately illustrated [29], hampering further comparison with the Greenland specimen. Plicidentine has arisen multiple times in modern lineages of hyper-piscivorous actinopterygians, but is also present in †Cheirolepis [116]. The expanding list of taxa exhibiting plicidentine, which now includes †Saurichthys, suggests that the distribution of this feature is controlled by function, rather than phylogeny.
Operculogular series
The opercular series is largely not preserved in NHMD_157546_A. Only a single branchiostegal ray is preserved in this specimen (Fig. 1c, 2c: ‘rbr’), underlying the posterior part of the ceratohyal. The branchiostegal is lozenge shaped, with rounded anterior and posterior ends. Its ventral face is ornamented with well-developed tubercles, but bears an unornamented field along its posteromedial margin. On the opposite (right) side of the branchiostegal, and anterior to it, there is a flat, splint-like dermal element, underlying the anterior part of the right ceratohyal and extending anteriorly slightly past its rostral end. Its ventral face is also ornamented with tubercles. There is no sign of a lateral field for the insertion/overlap of the branchiostegal element, allowing us to identify the splint-like element as a lateral gular (‘latg’).
Remarks
One pair of branchiostegals is known in Early Triassic [25, 29] and Middle Triassic †saurichthyids [23, 25, 29]. A second pair has been identified in the Middle Triassic †Saurichthys yangjuanensis [36].
The number of branchiostegal rays varies among Paleozoic ctinopterygians, being usually higher than 10 [44].
The single pair of splint-shaped gulars of the Greenland †Saurichthys seems to correspond to the primitive condition in the clade. Gulars were previously thought to be absent in †saurichthyids. Given the large sample sizes investigated, they are likely lost in Middle Triassic and younger forms (e.g., [22,23,24, 27, 30, 36]. Most non-teleostean actinopterygians exhibit gulars, with the primitive pattern corresponding to the presence of one median gular and a pair of lateral gulars, like in †Cheirolepis, †Mimipiscis, †Raynerius, †Pteronisculus, †Birgeria, †Watsonulus and some Triassic ‘†pholidophorids’ [44, 58, 59, 69, 96, 98, 102, 103]. Acipenseriforms, †Chondrosteus, ginglymodians and most crown teleosts have no gulars [6, 9,10,11, 74].
Despite the limitations of the material described here, a comment on the phylogenetically and functionally important opercular bones of †saurichthyids is warranted. The largest bone of the †saurichthyid opercular series is historically identified and treated as an operculum [22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 117]. Nevertheless, Stensiö also considered the possibility of a more complex evolutionary history for this bone through fusion of separate elements [29]. In most actinopterygians, the opercle forms an anteromedial process and fossa, which articulates with the opercular process of the hyomandibula [7, 9, 58, 59, 79]. In primitive forms like †Cheirolepis, †Mimipiscis, †Moythomasia and †Raynerius, the opercle articulates directly with the posterior face of the ‘knee’ of the hyomandibula [44, 68, 69, 103]. In fossil chondrosteans with a reduced opercle, like †Chondrosteus, †Peipiaosteus and †Stichopterus, the latter bone is not in contact with the hyomandibula, but sits on the dorsal side of an enlarged subopercle [11, 118].
Additional †Saurichthys material from the Middle Triassic of Switzerland (Fig. 12d, e), as well as a review of figured specimens (e.g. [29]: pls. 11, 14, 22, 27, 28) reveals that the articulation between the so-called ‘operculum’ and the hyomandibula occurs much more ventrally than previously thought, at the ventral tip of the latter bone. This mode and topology of articulation implies that the ‘opercle’ is actually an expanded subopercle (‘sop’), and is broadly comparable to that of Chondrostei, where the expanded subopercle articulates with the posteroventral cartilaginous head of the hyomandibula [6, 11, 74]. However, †Saurichthys is the only known actinopterygian whose subopercle forms an anteromedial articular process and fossa for articulation with the hyomandibula [23, 29]. In other actinopterygians, the subopercle articulates with the posterior surface of the preopercle and the ventral surface of the opercle, and is ligamentously attached to the ventral limb of the hyomandibula [7, 70, 79].
This inference gains additional support with the identification of an additional opercular element in †Saurichthys ornatus and †S. hamiltoni from the Early Triassic of Spitsbergen (unlabeled in [29]: pls. 11, 27, 28) and †Saurichthys madagascariensis (termed as antoperculum in [39]: Fig. 10; [25]: Fig. 6). This small dermal bone wedged between the preopercle, the dermohyal (present although not labelled) and the expanded subopercle is situated at the level of the back of the ‘knee’ of the hyomandibula, and is topologically equivalent and likely homologous to the opercle. An expansion of the subopercle at the expense of the opercle has occurred several times in Actinopterygii, with early chondrosteans [11, 118], †Canobius [119], †Styracopterus [120], and †Teffichthys [109] being some examples of seemingly independent acquisition of this character.
Hyoid and branchial arches
The slender, boomerang-shaped hyomandibula (Figs. 10a, 12a–c: ‘hm’) has a well-defined, horizontal anterodorsal limb and a posteroventral limb. The dorsal surface of the dorsal limb is flat and wide, potentially serving as the insertion point of the retractor muscle. A dermohyal (‘dhy’) is firmly fused on the dorsolateral to lateral surface of the anterodorsal limb of the hyomandibula. No ornamentation of the dermohyal is apparent in the scan. However, the compactness of the dermohyal ossification contrasts sharply with the cancellous endochondral nature of the main body of the hyomandibula, testifying to its dermal origin. The dermohyal expands dorsally, forming a lateral wall with a T-shaped cross section on the hyomandibula. The dorsal surface of the dermohyal was accommodated between the preopercle and the dermopterotic in life. The posterodorsal tip of the dermohyal stands out from the body of the hyomandibula, forming an angular projection. This projection was previously erroneously identified as an opercular process in †Saurichthys curionii [23]. An opercular process is absent from the hyomandibula of NHMD_157546_A. A canal for the hyomandibular trunk of the facial nerve (‘VIIhm’) starts at the posteromedial part of the dorsal limb and exits laterally to the ‘knee’ of the bone. Additional ossifications intercalated between the hyomandibula and the ceratohyal (e.g., interhyal, symplectic) were not observed.
A single ceratohyal (Fig. 13: ‘chy’) is present on either side of NHMD_157546_A. The ceratohyal is slender, slightly twisted around its long axis and of elongate hourglass shape. The lateral surface of the bone bears a shallow groove for the afferent hyoidean artery. The hypohyals (‘hh’) are slightly dislocated from their natural position. They are strongly curved medially, and they likely articulated with the first basibranchial element. Their median part is thicker than their posterior part, the latter forming an elliptical head for articulation with the ceratohyal. No basihyal was observed.
The branchial skeleton of †Saurichthys is only partially preserved and largely disarticulated (Fig. 13). A rod-like and grooveless endochondral structure on the left side likely corresponds to the first infrapharyngobranial. Posterior to the rod like bone there are two dorsoventrally short and robust pharyngobranchials (‘pbr’). They form a medial shelf for the passage of the efferent branchial arteries. Immediately ventral to the posterior tip of the rod-like bone, there is a dislocated epibranchial (‘epi’), which was likely the first of the series. Its dorsal tip bears two surfaces for articulation of the pharyngobranchials, but no uncinate processes. The epibranchial bears a lateral groove for the corresponding efferent artery. The ventral elements of the first two branchial arches are preserved. The ceratobranchials (‘cbr’) are straight, exhibiting a conspicuous ventral groove for their corresponding efferent arteries. The hypobranchials (‘hbr’) are imperforate, straight for the most part and deeply grooved ventrally for the passage of the efferent arteries. The grooves disappear slightly before the anterior articular head of the bones. The first hypobranchials are hatchet shaped, with their anterior tip forming a broad, median expansion for articulation with the corresponding basibranchial element. They lack facets for articulation with the hypohyals. The mesial head of the second hypobranchial is narrower. Nothing remains of the more posterior arches. One basibranchial (out of the expected three [29]) is preserved. It has a subtriangular cross-section, a flat dorsal surface and weak ventral keel. No articulation surfaces for the hypobranchials were identified on the basibranchial.
Remarks
†Saurichthys shares a similar hyomandibular morphology (boomerang shaped; single head for articulation with the braincase; lack of opercular process; canal for the facial nerve (VII); fused dermohyal) with Devonian actinopterygians like †Mimipiscis, †Moythomasia, †Howqualepis and †Raynerius [44, 69, 96]. In †Saurichthys, the dermohyal occupied a more dorsal position, being wedged between the preoperculum and the dermopterotic, rather than between the preoperculum, the dermopterotic (or homologues), and the operculum as in other early actinopterygians. It is possible that this is due to the hypothesized changes to the opercular series outlined above, and/or the elongation of the posterior portion of the †saurichthyid skull. The hyomandibula of chondrosteans lacks both an opercular process, and a dermohyal [6, 11, 74]. Polypterus, †Fukangichthys, †Pteronisculus, †Boroesomus, †Australosomus and neopterygians bear a distinct opercular process [7, 9, 12, 58, 59, 79, 98]. The dermohyal is not fused to the hyomandibula in other post-Devonian actinopterygians, including Polypterus [18, 47, 58, 59, 66, 79]. It is generally absent in crown neopterygians [7, 98], although it is present in crownward members of the stem lineage like †Luganoia and †Peltopleurus [101], and likely also in gars [9]. The presence of a facial nerve canal on the hyomandibula is widespread in Actinopterygii (e.g., [44, 98]), but is absent in polypterids, †Fukangichthys, acipenseriforms, †Cheirolepis, and †Boreosomus [6, 12, 58, 68, 74, 79].
In Devonian actinopterygians, †Fukangichthys and Polypterus, the ceratohyal consists of a single ossification [12, 44, 79], but in †Pteronisculus and neopterygians there is a smaller posterior ceratohyal ossification [7, 9, 58, 98]. A groove for the afferent hyoidean artery is a plesiomorphic osteichthyan feature retained in many fossil actinopterygians like †Raynerius, †Mimipiscis, †Moythomasia, †Pteronisculus, †Australosomus, and †Fukangichthys [44, 58, 59, 69]. It is absent in Polypterus, Polyodon and †Chondrosteus [11, 74, 79]. However, a shallow depression is seen in the posterolateral half of the ceratohyal of Acipenser (TA pers. obs on Acipenser, UMMP unnumbered teaching collection specimen). †Watsonulus [98] also shows a groove, but this feature is absent in living holosteans and teleosts [7, 9].
Current knowledge about the fossil record of actinopterygian gill skeletons is limited, largely because such structures are rarely preserved, and, where present, are difficult to access without recourse to destructive methods (but see [121]). The overall anatomy of the †Saurichthys gill skeleton does not appear to differ significantly from that of generalized Permian–Triassic actinopterygians like †Pteronisculus [58]. A ventral gill skeleton of a †saurichthyid from Spitsbergen, figured by Stensiö ([29]: Pl. 7), preserves four ceratobranchials. Stensiö’s reconstruction ([29], fig. 26), however, depicts five ceratobranchials, but no further evidence was provided. Five ceratobranchials are primitively present in actinopterygians, with the fifth being usually less well-developed [44, 58, 69]. Cladistians have only four gill arches, missing the fifth arch completely [122], which is likely an apomorphic feature of the clade, inclusive of †Fukangichthys [12].
The morphology of most branchial elements is slightly modified in †Saurichthys, becoming more elongate, straight and more slender, to follow the pattern of cranial elongation seen in the clade. In †Pteronisculus, there is an expanded infrapharyngobranchial, suspending the third and fourth branchial arches [58]. In †Mimipiscis, the hypobranchials are proximally perforated [44], but this feature was not observed in other actinopterygians like †Raynerius [69] or †Saurichthys. The hypobranchials of †Saurichthys form a single, median articulation with the corresponding basibranchial elements and show no ventromedial processes, like those present in the second and third hypobranchials of Amia and other neopterygians [7, 71] (TA pers. obs. on Amia calva, UMMP unnumbered teaching collection specimen).
The ventral branchial skeleton of †Saurichthys ornatus from Spitsbergen exhibits three distinct basibranchial ossifications [29]. Only a single basibranchial is preserved in the Greenland †Saurichthys, but is dorsally displaced, anteroposteriorly short and bears no lateral ossification surfaces for the hypobranchials, differing from the massive, single basibranchial copula of Devonian actinopterygians [44, 69], and Polypterus [79]. †Saurichthyids seem to bear three basibranchial ossifications [29] like †Pteronisculus [58]. At least two basibranchials are present in ‘†Elonichthys’ [123], and two basibranchials were described in †Fukangichthys [12]. †Australosomus exhibits four basibranchial ossifications, with the posterior-most basibranchial being longitudinally pierced by a paired canal for the fourth afferent branchial arteries [59]. Living chondrosteans have no ossifications in their ventral gill skeleton. Instead, there is an enlarged, cartilaginous anterior basibranchial that articulates with hypobranchials 1–3, and a posterior cartilaginous basibranchial that articulates with the fourth hypobranchials [6, 74]. However, there is considerable variation within sturgeons, and one or two additional basibranchial cartilages might be present in some individuals [74]. In Amia, only the posterior part of the anterior basibranchial ossifies, while the two posterior basibranchials remain cartilaginous [7]. Two basibranchials are present in Lepisosteus, with only the anterior part of the second basibranchial known to ossify [9]. The basibranchial series of teleosteans comprise between three and five distinct ossifications [124].
Dermal bones of the pectoral girdle
Only two elements of the pectoral girdle are preserved in the Greenland †Saurichthys, both disarticulated from their adjacent bones. Posterodorsally, there is an angled, anamestic dermal element (Fig. 1c, e, 2c, e: ‘pt-sc’). This enigmatic bone forms an unornamented anteriorly–anteromedially expanding process and a lateroventrally–ventrally expanding lamina, which bears tubercles. A clavicle (‘clav’) is preserved ventrally, and has been displaced to punch through the gill skeleton. It is thin, with an elongate triangular shape, pointing anteriorly, and is strongly convex laterally. Its mesial surface is slightly thickened and was likely abutting its antimere in life.
Remarks
In Early Triassic †saurichthyids and in †Yelangichthys, there are two canal-bearing, dermal bones, the posttemporal and the supracleithrum, connecting the cleithrum with the skull [25, 29, 32]. The arched bone in NHMD_157546_A resembles the compound posttemporal-supracleithrum of Middle Triassic †saurichthyids [23, 30], however the latter bone is always canal bearing. The absence of a canal in NHMD_157546_A could either be a peculiarity of the specimen/species, or could imply that a presupracleithrum is present. The latter ossification is absent or unknown in most †saurichthyids, but has been tentatively reconstructed in the Anisian species †Sinosaurichthys longimedialis [30]. Well-developed triangular clavicles are typically present in all non-neopterygian actinopterygians (e.g., [6, 44, 58, 59, 74, 80]), and also in some early neopterygians such as †Watsonulus [98]. Clavicles become much reduced or lost in holosteans and early teleosteans [7, 9, 102, 125].
Systematic paleontology
†Saurichthys nepalensis Beltan and Janvier, 1978 [126].
Material
MNHN F 1980–5, †Saurichthys nepalensis, partial skull.
Fossil age and locality information
Fossil fishes from the Early Triassic of the Himalayas are rare and poorly known [14, 126, 127]. The Early Triassic deposits of the Annapurna, Nepal, have only produced a single actinopterygian fossil (MNHN F 1980–5): the holotype of †Saurichthys nepalensis [126]. The skull was found in the Thini Gaon area, but was lying amongst debris and the precise geological horizon remains unknown. The surrounding matrix was tentatively correlated, on the basis of lithological similarities, with lowest Triassic (‘lower Scythian’; ~ 251 Ma) ammonoid-bearing facies that occur in the area [126]. Additional details of Triassic stratigraphy of the Annapurna, including Thini Gaon, are given by Garzanti et al. [128]. The holotype of †S. nepalensis corresponds to a fragmented skull, preserving only the anterior orbital region and the posterior rostroethmoidal region. During preparation for the initial description, the skull was immersed in 5% formic acid [126]. Although this procedure damaged the specimen, the almost complete removal of the matrix resulted in excellent contrast using μCT.
Anatomical description
Ethmoidal region
The ethmoidal region of †Saurichthys nepalensis (MNHN F 1980–5; Fig. 14) differs in some respects from that of the Greenland †Saurichthys (NHMD_157546_A). More specifically, in †S. nepalensis, the interorbital septum is not ossified along the course of the olfactory tracts, although this may well be an artefact of preservation or preparation. The interorbital fenestra is much smaller and kidney-shaped, rather than oval. The anteroventral myodome is paired and not median. The remainder of the ethmoidal region is otherwise very similar to that of NHMD_157546_A. In terms of internal anatomy (Fig. 14e–h), the olfactory nerve lobes (‘I’) diverge laterally towards the external nares, upon entering the ethmoidal region. They give off multiple branches that connect with the nasal cavities and openings (‘nao’). At the level of the posterior tip of the nasal cavity, each dorsal-most branch receives a canal of posterodorsal origin, which must have carried the superficial opthalmic nerve (‘Vopts’). Two to three thicker branches on each side, including the ones carrying the latter nerve, continue anteriorly past the nasal cavity, to form the nasobasal canals (‘nbc’). These canals continue anteriorly along the preserved length of the rostrum. They connect with a lateral groove for the maxillary ramus of the trigeminal nerve (‘Vmx’) via a canal, slightly anterior to the nasal cavities. At the same point, a canal leading to the floor of the ethmoidal region branches off (‘paop’). More anteriorly, the nasobasal canals extend gradually to the laterodorsal surface of the braincase, but appear to be contained within the dermal bones, without connecting to the lateral surface of the skull.
Remarks
Primitively, in most fossil non-neopterygian actinopterygians, but also in †parasemionotids and †caturids, there are two paired anterior myodomes (dorsal and ventral) notching the posterior wall of the ethmoidal region [44, 58, 63, 66, 98]. In †Lawrenciella and †Kansasiella, there is a paired anterodorsal myodome, but the anteroventral myodome is median and situated on the interorbital septum [65, 67], as in †Saurichthys nepalensis. The aforementioned conditions are likely dependent on the development of the interorbital septum and the orbit. We consider the anterodorsal and anteroventral myodomes, paired or median, to be homologous across taxa. The fenestrations present on the anterior part of the interorbital septum of the Greenland †Saurichthys are therefore deemed homologous to the anterodorsal and anteroventral myodomes of most fossil actinopterygians. †Yelangichthys exhibits paired anterodorsal and anteroventral myodomes [32], and this may correspond to the primitive condition for the group. Anterior myodomes are absent in acipenseriforms and lepisosteiforms, potentially due to the reduction in orbit size [63].
To date, the internal anatomy of the anterior ethmoidal region in fossil non-neopterygian actinopterygians is virtually unknown, as this region of the braincase is often not mineralized. The nasobasal canals of †Saurichthys correspond topologically to the the fenestrae exonarinae anterior in †Youngolepis [129] and the nasobasal canals of other Devonian sarcopterygians, such as †Eusthenopteron [85] and †Gogonasus [130], and to those tentatively reconstructed in †Mimipiscis [44]. In these taxa the nasobasal canals begin their course at the anterior margin of the nasal cavity. Actinopterygian nasobasal canals differ from the rostral tubules of sarcopterygians, as the latter issue posterior to the nasal cavities and form a mesially extending, web-like structure (e.g., [95, 131]). Although soft tissue contents remain unknown, the relationship of the nasobasal canals of †Saurichthys with branches of the trigeminal nerve, and their communication with the floor of the rostrum, are indicative of at least gustatory functions. They must have also contained blood vessels supplying the growing rostrum. These canals are for the first time confidently reconstructed and described in †Saurichthys, or any other fossil actinopterygian.
Phylogenetic analysis
The maximum parsimony analysis produced, after the deletion of suboptimal trees, a total of 2430 most parsimonious trees (MPTs) of 1421 steps (C.I: 0.217, R.I: 0.645). In the strict consensus (Fig. 15a), Actinopterygii is monophyletic, but weakly supported (Bremer decay index [BDI] = 2), with †Meemania and †cheirolepidids being successive sister groups to the remaining members of the group. †Osorioichthys and †Tegeolepis are resolved as a deeply diverging clade on the actinopterygian stem, followed by a clade formed by the remaining Devonian taxa (BDI = 2). All post-Devonian actinopterygians form a clade (BDI = 3), supported by 15 synapomorphies. Post-Devonian taxa are divided in two, albeit weakly supported clades. The first clade contains all Paleozoic-early Mesozoic anatomically generalized forms, whose monophyly is supported by characters that cannot be assessed in most taxa. †Australosomus is resolved as the sister taxon to the clade that contains †saurichthyiforms + †Birgeria and crown actinopterygians. The immediate sister group relationship between †saurichthyiforms + †Birgeria and the actinopterygian crown is supported by eight synapomorphies, none of which is unambiguous: i) absence of complete enclosure of spiracle by canal-bearing bones (C.68); ii) palatoquadrate forming separate ossifications (C.102); iii) absence of vestibular fontanelles (C.148); iv) dorsal aorta open in a groove (C.155); v) lateral dorsal aortae bifurcating below parasphenoid (C.159); vi) posterior stem of parasphenoid extending to basioccipital (C.177); vii) presence of an aortic notch in parasphenoid (C.184); viii) absence of a triradiate scapulocoracoid (C.244).
Our analyses recovered †saurichthyiforms (inclusive of †Yelangichthys) as a clade (BDI = 2), with †Yelangichthys being the sistergroup to †saurichthyids, on the basis of: i) both nostrils accommodated within single ossification (C.21); ii) frontals broad posteriorly, but tapering anteriorly (C.31). Amongst †saurichthyids, †Saurichthys madagascariensis and NHMD_157546_A form a clade to the exclusion of †Saurichthys ornatus. †Saurichthyiforms cluster with †Birgeria (BDI = 1), sharing the following characters: i) presence of more than two infraorbitals (C.53); ii) head of dermohyal projecting above opercle (C.66); iii) absence of peg-and-socket articulation on scales (C.213); iv) absence of an anterodorsal process on scales (C.215); v) absence of an anocleithrum (C.240). The placement of the clade containing †saurichthyiforms and †birgeriids as sistergroup to the actinopterygian crown has very low nodal support (BDI = 1).
Within the actinopterygian crowngroup, cladistians (†scanilepiforms + polypterids; see [12]) are resolved as sister to chondrosteans. This unusual, and poorly supported (BDI = 1) topology is based on six synapomorphies: i) presence of a posterior junction between supraorbital and infraorbital canals (C.34); ii) presence of a broad interorbital septum (C.130); iii) absence of a posterior myodome (C.139); iv) anterolaterally diverging olfactory lobes (C.186); v) absence of fringing fulcra (C.218); vi) hyomandibula imperforate (C.220). Chondrostei receive high nodal support (BDI ≥ 6), but support for Cladistia is moderate (BDI = 3). A number of Paleozoic–early Mesozoic taxa, most of which are deep-bodied, form branches at the base of the neopterygian stem. †Platysomus is the deepest-diverging taxon on the neopterygian stem (BDI = 1), and is united with the remaining neopterygian total group by: i) premaxilla not contributing to the orbit (C.7); ii) quadrate parietals (C.29); iii) vertical preopercle (C.118); iv) presence of a basipterygoid process (C.142); v) absence of a buccohypophyseal canal (C.179). †Peltopleurus, †Luganoia, and †Dipteronotus form a clade at the neopterygian stem. The neopterygian crown is well supported (BDI ≥ 6), on the basis of: i) maxillary kinesis (C.74); ii) peg-like process on maxilla (C.75); iii) subopercle forming anterodorsal process (C.115); iv) interopercle present (C.121); vi) internal carotids piercing parasphenoid (C.182). The interrelationships of crown neopterygians, however, are not clear due to the uncertain placement of †Tetragonolepis, †Hulettia and †dapediids relative to teleosts or holosteans.
