Nursallia Blot, 1987

Poyato-Ariza F. J. & Wenz S., 2002, A new insight into pycnodontiform fishes, Geodiversitas 24 (1), pp. 139-248 : 149

Genus Nursallia Blot, 1987

TYPE SPECIES. — By original designation: Nursallia veronae Blot, 1987 . Early to middle Eocene from Monte Bolca, Italy. Holotype of Nursallia veronae: MCSNV II. D. 172-173.

OTHER SPECIES. — Nursallia flavellatum? ( Cope, 1886) , Continguiba Formation, upper Cretaceous from Sergipe / Alagoas, Brazil. One single specimen, very incomplete and not observed; it is nonetheless briefly discussed in the Results section below. Nursallia ? goedeli ( Heckel, 1854) , Cenomanian from Hakel, Lebanon. The species Palaeobalistum goedeli was erected by Heckel (1854: name p. 445, diagnosis p. 461) under the original spelling goedelii. It was later revisited and illustrated for the first time by Heckel (1856: 234; pl. II, figs 3-8; it is the specimen NMW 1858.III.21). Davis (1887) described three other specimens, two of them as the new nominal species Palaeobalistum ventralis . Woodward (1895a) considered that: “The form of the median fins and the extension of the squamation over the caudal region may even be regarded as necessitating the removal of the fish from the genus Palaeobalistum ” ( Woodward 1895a: 273), and that P. ventralis Davis, 1887 is a junior synonym of P. goedeli ( Woodward 1895a: 274- 275) . The same author used the subsequent spelling goedeli ( Woodward 1895a: 272) . Since this incorrect subsequent spelling is in prevailing usage (Art. 33.3.1 of the ICZN), it is maintained herein. Hennig (1907) regarded goedeli and ventralis as two valid species of Palaeobalistum . Arambourg (1954) compared them with his new species P. gutturosum . Finally, Blot (1987) transferred both nominal species to his new genus Nursallia . Both specimens of N. ventralis ?, when compared with the holotype of N.? goedeli have apparently more discoidal shape; long, low, falcate dorsal and anal fins (incomplete in N.? goedeli ); large pectoral fin (unknown in N.? goedeli ); bar-reduced (not complete) scales partially covering the caudal region (complete scales in N.? goedeli ); incisiform teeth on the dentary (unknown in N. goedeli ); similar caudal fin with enlarged to hypertrophied hypurals. The differences on body shape and in squamation indicate that N.? goedeli and N. ventralis ? may not be conspecific. Pending revision of these and quite a few other Lebanese specimens previously assessed to Palaeobalistum and Nursallia , we have included in our analysis only the information provided by the holotype of Nursallia ? goedeli . Nursallia ? gutturosum ( Arambourg, 1954) , lower Cenomanian from Jebel Tselfat (localities of Aïn el Kerma and Sigda), Morocco.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — N. veronae : holotype (complete adult specimen with unsatisfactory preservation); MCSNV T.830 (complete, very juvenile, well preserved specimen); N.? goedeli : holotype, NMW 1858.III.21 (caudal region of a well preserved adult specimen). Other specimens: NHML: P.4001/ P.4781; P.61/P.62 ( Palaeobalistum goedeli in Davis 1887); P.63; P.63a; P.4002 ( Davis’s 1887 unfigured specimen); 39231; 39232; P.65 ( Palaeobalistum ventralis in Davis 1887). N.? gutturosum : holotype, MNHN DTS 60a-b (complete specimen from Aïn el Kerma), paratypes DTS-61a-b (from Aïn el Kerma) and 231a-b (from Sigda). Other specimens: 63a-b, 94a-b (juvenile specimen), 231a-b, 232a-b, 233a-b, 235a-b, 236a-b, 237, 239, 241a-b, 313a-b, 314 (Sigda), DTS-57, 62a-b, 64a-b, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 170a-b, 229a-b, 234a-b, 311a-b, 312a-b (Aïn el Kerma). All complete or nearly complete specimens with unsatisfactory preservation.