Abstract

ALVARADO-ORTEGA, Jesús  and  THAN-MARCHESE, Bruno Andrés. A Cenomanian aipichthyoid fish (Teleostei, Acanthomorpha) from America, Zoqueichthys carolinae gen. and sp. nov. from El Chango quarry (Cintalapa Member, Sierra Madre Formation), Chiapas, Mexico. Rev. mex. cienc. geol [online]. 2012, vol.29, n.3, pp.735-748. ISSN 2007-2902.

Zoqueichthys carolinae gen. and sp. nov. is described based on three specimens collected at the El Chango quarry, an outcrop of Cenomanian marine limestones belonging to the Sierra Madre Formation located in the Municipality of Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas State, southern Mexico. This species is identified as a new member of the superfamily Aipichthyoidea because it possesses a combination of characteristics previously recognized as diagnostic for this group. This species differs from other aipichthyoides in skeletal and meristic characteristics not previously reported in this superfamily including a completely laminar supraoccipital crest involving the participation of the supraoccipital and frontal bones, and lacking anterior thickening or spine; a pelvic fin with eight rays, and pectoralfin with twelve rays. Zoqueichthys carolinae is a basal member of the family Aipichthyoididae because it shows putative primitive characteristics including a comparatively high number of pelvicfin rays, three epurals, hypurals one and two are autogenous and in addition a complex supraoccipital crest. Zoqueichthys carolinae is the first aipichthyoid fish found in marine Cretaceous sediments deposited in the western Tethys Sea of southern North America.

Keywords : Aipichthyoidea; Aipichthyoidae; Aipichthyoididae; Cenomanian; Mexico.

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