Platypterix, Kriwet & Nunn & Klug, 2009

Kriwet, Jürgen, Nunn, Elizabeth V. & Klug, Stefanie, 2009, Neoselachians (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii) from the Lower and lower Upper Cretaceous of north-eastern Spain, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155 (2), pp. 316-347 : 329

GENUS PLATYPTERIX GEN. NOV.

Derivation of name: From the Greek words ‘platys’: ‘broad’; and ‘pterix’: ‘wing’, in allusion to the broad and wing-like margino-lateral edges of the crown that are curved lingually.

Type species: Platypterix venustulus gen. et sp. nov.

Diagnosis: A rhinobatoid characterized by the following dental features: distinct sexual heterodonty present; teeth small, broader than deep with blunt transversal cutting edge; cutting edge of anterior teeth restricted to apex; tooth crowns completely smooth; labial crown face in profile view concave, well developed and overhanging the root; lingual crown face very abrupt; labial edge in occlusal view more or less regularly convex with obtuse angles; labial visor very broad and smooth; median uvula well developed; lateral uvulae almost completely reduced or absent; root slightly displaced lingually with an oblique labial edge in profile view and narrower than crown with flaring extremities; lingual root notch wide and deep; teeth of males with pointed cusp and vertical apex; tooth crowns of females more or less convex in lingual view with low and rounded apex.

Differential diagnosis: Platypterix gen. et sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other rhinobatoids by the following unique combination of dental characters: tooth crown low and flat; cusp apex placed centrally on the lingual edge; transverse cutting edge short and restricted to apex; very broad and smooth labial visor; central uvula short, not reaching the root base, sigmoidal in profile view; more or less reduced lateral uvulae; high, labio-lingually compressed and lingually displaced root; very narrow but basally flaring root lobes.

Taxa included: Platypterix venustulus gen. et sp. nov.

PLATYPTERIX VENUSTULUS GEN. ET SP. NOV.

( FIG. 7E–T )

Derivation of name: From the Latin word ‘venustulus’: ‘charming’.

Figures

Figure 7. A–D, Rhinobatoidei indet. A, labial view. B, lateral view. C, lingual view. D, occlusal. E–T, Platypterix venustulus gen. et. sp. nov. E–H, anterior male tooth. E, labial view. F, lateral view. G, lingual view. H, occlusal view. I–L, lateral male tooth. I, labial view. J, lateral view. K, lingual view. L, occlusal view. M–P, anterior female tooth. M, labial view. N, lateral view. O, lingual view. P, occlusal view. Q–T, lateral female tooth. Q, labial view. R, lateral view. S, lingual view. T, occlusal view. U–X, Celtipristis herreroi (Kriwet, 1999b). U, labial view. V, lateral view. W, lingual view. X, occlusal view. All scale bars equal 0.5 mm.