Biology:Walterosteus

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Walterosteus
Temporal range: Late Frasnian[1]
Walterosteus lelievrei.jpg
W. lelievrei
Scientific classification
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Genus:
Walterosteus
Type species
Walterosteus pachyostoides
Species
  • W. pachyostoides Stensiö 1959
  • W. grossi (Maish, 1998)
  • W. lelievrei Rücklin 2011
Synonyms
  • Wildungenichthys grossi Maish, 1998

Walterosteus is an extinct genus of small selenosteid arthrodire placoderms known from the Upper Frasnian Kellwasserkalk facies of Late Devonian Germany [1]:96 and Morocco.[2]

Walterosteus is very similar to the other Kellwasserkalk selenosteids. This similarity lead Denison (1978) to synonymize the genus, together with Ottonosteus (O. jaekeli = E. hermanni), into Enseosteus, claiming that the former two genera are too similar to Enseosteus to merit separate genus status.[1] Rücklin (2011) agrees with Denison's synonymizing of Ottonosteus, but rejects Denison's synonymization of Walterosteus, claiming how Walterosteus has a contact between the rostral plate and the pineal plate, which Enseosteus does not.[2]

Etymology

The genus was named by Erik Stensiö to commemorate the contributions done by Walter Gross, a German specialist on Paleozoic fishes, and his important contributions to the understanding of the overall anatomy of arthrodire placoderms.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Denison, Robert (1978). Handbook of Paleoichthyology, Volume 2, Placodermi. New York: Gustav Fischer Verlage. pp. 98. ISBN 9780895740274. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 RÜCKLIN, MARTIN (January 14, 2011). "First selenosteid placoderms from the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco; osteology, phylogeny and palaeogeographical implications". Palaeontology 56 (1): 25–62. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.01026.x. 

Wikidata ☰ Q16993488 entry