Sphaerolepis

Štamberg, Stanislav, Schneider, Jörg W. & Werneburg, Ralf, 2016, Fossil Fauna And Flora Of A Re-Discovered Locality In The Late Carboniferous Ploužnice Horizon Of The Krkonoše Piedmont Basin, Bohemian Massif, Fossil Imprint 72 (3 - 4), pp. 215-224 : 219

Sphaerolepis kounoviensis FRIČ, 1877

Remains of Sphaerolepis kounoviensis are represented by isolated scales and skeletal fragments. The scales show a typical cycloidal shape with circuli (MHK 82593, 82620). Numerous isolated ridge scales and fulcral scales with smooth surfaces (MHK 82605, 82608, 82627) probably also belong to Sphaerolepis kounoviensis. Several jaw fragments (Pl. 2, Fig. 6) also contain teeth (MHK 82589, 82610, 82628). The teeth are all of the same size, with a cylindrical shape and terminate conically, without any grooves on their surface. A cleithrum (MHK 82613, 82618) has a narrow, dorso-ventrally elongated branch and a horizontal branch that projects towards the slender, conspicuous process anteriorly. A well preserved isolated parasphenoid (MHK 82630) belongs as well to Sphaerolepis kounoviensis. The sample shows the parasphenoid in dorsal view (Pl. 2, Fig. 4), but an area with missing bone on the counterpart demonstrates also the ventral part of this element. The corpus of the parasphenoid has an anteriorly prolonged processus cultriformis and there is also a significantly extended posterior region of the corpus parasphenoidis, which is also typical for Sphaerolepis kounoviensis ( Štamberg and Zajíc 2000, Štamberg 2013). The pair of processus ascendens project at an angle of 40°–50° to the axis of the corpus parasphenoidis. The large bucco-hypophysial foramen is situated in the centre of the parasphenoid. The ventral surface of the parasphenoid carries numerous sharply pointed teeth. The tooth patch extends around the bucco-hypophysial foramen.