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Disarticulated acanthodian and chondrichthyan remains from the upper Middle Devonian Aztec Siltstone, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 September 2008

Carole J. Burrow ,
John A. Long  and
Kate Trinajstic
Carole J. Burrow*
Affiliation:
Geosciences Annex, Queensland Museum, 122 Gerler Rd, Hendra, Brisbane, QLD 4011, Australia
John A. Long
Affiliation:
Museum Victoria, PO Box 666E, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
Kate Trinajstic
Affiliation:
School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
*
*carole.burrow@gmail.com
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Abstract

Well-preserved vertebrate microremains are abundant in the residues from a calcareous grey siltstone in the karawaka biozone (?late Givetian) of the Aztec Siltstone at Mount Crean, Lashly Mountains, Antarctica. Acanthodians are represented by scales of acritolepid Pechoralepis juozasi sp. nov., climatiid Nostolepis sp. cf. N. gaujensis Valiukevičius, diplacanthid Milesacanthus antarctica Young & Burrow, and an undetermined acanthodiform. The acanthodian assemblage resembles those from early Frasnian carbonates of central Iran. Chondrichthyan elements in the fauna include rare teeth of Aztecodus harmsenae Long & Young and Antarctilamna prisca Young, ctenacanthoid-type scales and branchial denticles which are possibly from Antarctilamna, and scales of an indeterminate chondrichthyan. An isolated set of acanthodid acanthodiform jaws from the uppermost ‘phyllolepid’ biozone of the Aztec Siltstone at Mount Ritchie, Warren Range, Antarctica is also described.

Keywords

AcanthodidaeAnareodusAntarctilamnaAztecodusMilesacanthusNostolepisPechoralepis
Type
Earth Science
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 71 - 88
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2009

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