Guildayichthys, Lund, 2000

Lund, Richard, 2000, The new Actinopterygian order Guildayichthyiformes from the Lower Carboniferous of Montana (USA), Geodiversitas 22 (2), pp. 171-206 : 173

Genus Guildayichthys n. gen.

TYPE SPECIES. — Guildayichthys carnegiei n. gen. n. sp. ETYMOLOGY.—Named after John Guilday,late Curator of Fossil Mammals of Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, for his unique appreciation of the beauty of life.

DIAGNOSIS. — Teeth short, and absent posterior to mid-maxillary and mid-dentary level. Posterior end of maxillary extending to midorbital level. Parietals meet in dorsal midline. Three rows paired bones over orbits. Five to six interopercular rays extending posterior to quadrate. Seven to eight branchiostegals, two dorsally concave, one expanded posteriorly and four to five ventrally concave, plus two lateral gulars. Dorsal ridge scales from occiput to dorsal fin bear posteriorly projecting spines; imperceptible transition from dorsal ridge scales to dorsal fin rays. Rays of leading edges of dorsal and anal fins closely spaced, following rays of other fins well spaced; all fin rays jointed and unbranched. Anal fin with two to three short leading spines, caudal fin slightly forked.