Revision of Eocene electric rays (Torpediniformes, Batomorphii) from the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstatte, Italy, reveals the first fossil embryo in situ in marine batoids and provides new insights into the origin of trophic novelties in coral reef fishes.

ABSTRACT: The Eocene electric ray †Titanonarke Carvalho, 2010 from the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte, north-eastern Italy, is redescribed in detail based upon new material from recent excavations. This taxon exhibits a combination of features (large voids between the pectoral and the axial skeleton filled in life by electric organs, anteriorly directed fan-shaped antorbital cartilages, lack of dermal denticles, long prepelvic processes, and rounded basibranchial copula with a small caudal tab) that clearly supports its assignment to the order Torpediniformes. The analysis of new material also demonstrates that the previous apparent absence of typical narcinoid characters used to diagnose †Titanonarke was the result of taphonomic biases. †Titanonarke shares at least three synapomor

SUBMITTER: Marrama G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6130837 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature