Galaxias brevicauda Schwarzhans, 2012

Schwarzhans, Werner, Scofield, R. Paul, Tennyson, Alan J. D., Worthy, Jennifer P. & Worthy, Trevor H., 2012, Fish remains, mostly otoliths, from the non-marine early Miocene of Otago, New Zealand, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 57 (2), pp. 319-350 : 326

Galaxias brevicauda Schwarzhans sp. nov.

Fig. 4I–J.

Etymology: From Latin brevis, short and cauda, technical term of the rear part of the sulcus; referring to the short cauda of the sulcus.

Type material: Holotype: NMNZ S.52709 ( Fig. 4I) . Paratype: One specimen, NMNZ S.52710, ( Fig. 4J) .

Type locality: Home Hills Station, Manuherikia River near St Bathans , Otago .

Type horizon: HH1a bed, Bannockburn Formation, early Miocene.

Diagnosis.—Triangular outline with obtuse mid−dorsal angle, marked rostrum and similarly marked and inferior posterior angle. Ventral rim shallow. Rostrum massive, sharp; excisura sharp, narrow. Ostium narrow; cauda terminating far from posterior tip of otolith. Ventral field on inner face narrow with distinct furrow below sulcus but not near ventral rim of otolith.

Description.—Moderately compressed otoliths with triangular outline and shallow ventral rim. Size up to 3.5 mm. Rostrum sharp, massive; excisura narrow, short; antirostrum short, broad. Posterior tip angular, nearly symmetrically expressed to rostrum. Mid−dorsal angle on dorsal rim variable slightly before or behind midpoint of otolith. All rims undulating. OL:OH = 1.4–1.5; OH:OT about 3.8.

Inner face slightly convex, smooth, with short, narrow, slightly deepened, inferior sulcus. Ostium narrow, anteriorly open; cauda straight, terminating far from posterior tip of otolith. OL:SuL = 1.5–1.7; CaL:OsL about 1.0. Dorsal field wide, with broad depression with sharp ventral boarder to sulcus. Ventral field narrow, with furrow below sulcus but now furrow close to ventral rim.

Outer face slightly concave with few short radial furrows on dorsal field.

Remarks.— Galaxias brevicauda belongs to a species−group with otoliths having a short cauda terminating far from the posterior tip of the otolith, like G. angustiventris (see that species for further comparison).

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Bannockburn Formation, Manuherikia River.