A NEW OSTEOLEPIDID FISH FROM THE UPPER DEVONIAN GOGO FORMATION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 decade ago

Abstract: A new osteolepidid crossopterygian, Gogonasus andrewsi gen. et sp. nov., is described from a single fronto-ethmoidal shield and associated ethmosphenoid, from the Late Devonian (Frasnian) Gogo Formation, Western Australia. Gogonasus is is distinguished from other osteolepids by the shape and proportions of the frontoethmoidal shield, absence of palatal fenestrae, well developed basipterygoid processes and moderately broad parasphenoid. The family Osteolepididae is found to be paraphyletic, with Gogonasus being regarded as a plesiomorphic osteolepidid at a similar level of organisation to Thursius.