Cretasquatina, Maisey & Ehret & Denton, 2020

Maisey, John G., Ehret, Dana J. & Denton, John S. S., 2020, A new genus of Late Cretaceous angel shark (Elasmobranchii; Squatinidae), with comments on squatinid phylogeny, American Museum Novitates 2020 (3954), pp. 1-1 : 1-

Cretasquatina new genus

This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:168DD149-4390-4E54-9382-8084F7C39180 .

DIAGNOSIS: Squatinid elasmobranch in which only the anteriormost two basiventrals of the vertebrae are expanded laterally. First basiventral process much broader distally than proximally, with rounded distal extremities and strongly recurved posterior borders surrounding the second basiventral and almost reaching the third centrum. Second basiventral process sharply angled posterolaterally, straight sided and slightly tapered distally. First vertebra with a vestigial anterior vertebral spool completely enclosed by the first basiventrals, notochordal canal does not reach anterior surface of first basiventral cartilage. Vertebral centra increase in width to centrum 5, then decrease in width. Palatoquadrate orbital process with smoothly rounded apex formed in tessellated cartilage and with a slight anterior projection on its anterolateral surface. Jaws smaller relative to the size of the occipital region than in other squatinids. Teeth unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: From the Latin creta (“chalk”) plus squatina (Latin, “skate”).