New pycnodontiform fishes (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) from the Early Cretaceous of the Argentinian Patagonia

Abstract

Here we describe new pycnodontiform fish material recovered from the marine Agrio Formation (lower Valanginian–lower Hauterivian) of the NeuquØn Province in the south-western of Patagonia, Argentina. The new material include an incomplete skull and an incomplete prearticular dentition. The incomplete skull consists of some dermal and endochondral elements as well as dental remains and represents a new large-sized gyrodontid that is referred to a new species, <i>Gyrodus huiliches. Gyrodus huiliches</i> sp. nov. is characterized by a unique combination of tooth crown ornamentations and tooth shape separating it easily from all known <i>Gyrodus</i> species. The incomplete prearticular dentition shows a tooth arrangement and sculpture that resembles that of <i>“Macromesodon” agrioensis</i> –the previously only known pycnodontiform in the area. This allows revising this species, which was based on an isolated vomerine dentition and which we refer to a new genus, <i>Tranawuen</i>. The new Patagonian fishes reported here expand the knowledge of South American pycnodontiforms. We hypothesize that meanwhile the new Patagonian genus – <i>Tranawuen</i>– diverged from <i>Gyrodus</i> after it migrated into the eastern Pacific through the Hispanic Corridor during the Late Jurassic, the new species –<i>Gyrodus huiliches</i>– most likely diverged from a Central or South American species of <i>Gyrodus</i>. Both represent the youngest gyrodontid records and simultaneously the southernmost Early Cretaceous occurrences of pycnodontiform fishes.