Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T05:33:22.953Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The braincase of a primitive shark

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

M. I. Coates  and
S. E. K. Sequeira
S. E. K. Sequeira
Affiliation:
M.I. COATES and S.E.K. SEQUEIRA, Darwin Building, Department of Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Devono-Carboniferous chondrichthyan Stethacanthus is best known for its striking 'spine-brush' complex. Here we provide the first detailed description of the neurocranium, using several well-preserved specimens from Bearsden, Scotland (Serpukhovian; Pendleian E1). Significant features include an otico-occipital region of about the same length as the ethmosphenoid division; short but distinct lateral otic processes; a short, broad endolymphatic fossa; a persistent otico-occipital fissure; Y-shaped basicranial canals indicating origin of the lateral aortae anterior to the occipital level; and minimal suborbital shelves limited to small, ethmoidally located outgrowths. Using placoderm, osteichthyan and acanthodian neurocrania for outgroup comparison, PAUP analysis of a matrix of 23 neurocranial characters produced the following branching sequence: (Helodus (Stethacanthus, Cobelodus (Tamiobatis (Xenacanthus (Cladodus wildungensis (Tristychius, Hybodus)))))). The location of Cladoselache in this analysis is uncertain and probably results from missing data and a morphologically restricted character set. Plesiomorphic conditions for chondrichthyan braincases are found to include the presence of a persistent otico-occipital fissure, projection of the median dorsal aorta anterior to the occipital level, and absence of suborbital shelves. These results may have important implications with regard to primitive gnathostome interrelationships, and especially the phylogenetic position of placoderms.

Keywords

BearsdenchondrichthyancladodontgnathostomeneurocraniumPalaeozoicphylogenyStethacanthus
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 89 , Issue 2 , 1998 , pp. 63 - 85
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allis, E. P. Jr 1923. The cranial anatomy of Chlamydoselachus anguineus.Ada Zoologica 4, 123221.Google Scholar
de Beer, G. R. 1937. The development of the vertebrate skull. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
de Beer, G. R.Moy-Thomas, J. A. 1935. On the skull of the holocephali. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B224, 287312.Google Scholar
Bertmar, G. 1959. On the ontogeny of the chondral skull in Characidae, with a discussion on the chondrocranial base and the visceral chondrocranium in fishes. Acta Zoologica 40, 203364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bertmar, G. 1963. The trigemino-facialis chamber, the cavum epiptericum and the cavum orbitonasale, three serially homologous extracranial spaces in fishes. Acta Zoologica 44, 32934.Google Scholar
de Carvalho, M. R., Maisey, J. G. 1996. Phylogenetic relationships of the Late Jurassic shark Protospinax WOODWARD 1919 (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii). In Arratia, G., Viohl, G. (eds) Mesozoic Fishes-Systematics and Paleoecology. München: Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfiel. 946.Google Scholar
Chang, M. M. 1982. The braincase of Youngolepis, a Lower Devonian crossopterygian from Yunnan, south-western China. Ph.D. Thesis, Stockholm University.Google Scholar
Clark, N. D. L. 1989. A study of Namurian crustacean-bearing shale from the western Midland Valley of Scotland. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Glasgow.Google Scholar
Clark, N. D. L. 1990. Minicaris brandi Schram, 1979, a syncarid crustacean from the Namurian (Carboniferous). Scottish Journal of Geology 26, 12530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, N. D. L. 1991. Palaemysis dunlopi, Peach 1908 (Eocarida, Crustacea) from the Namurian (Carboniferous) of the western Midland Valley. Scottish Journal of Geology 27, 110.Google Scholar
Coates, M. I. 1988. A new fauna of Namurian (Upper Carboniferous) fish from Bearsden, Glasgow. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. University of Newcastle upon Tyne.Google Scholar
Coates, M. I. 1993. New actinopterygian fish from the Namurian Manse Burn Formation of Bearsden, Scotland. Palaeontology 36, 12346.Google Scholar
Coates, M. I. 1998. Actinopterygians from the Namurian of Bearsden, Scotland, with comments on early actinopterygian neurocrania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122, 2759.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dick, J. R. F. 1978. On the Carboniferous shark Tristychius arcuatus Agassiz from Scotland. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 70, 63109.Google Scholar
Dick, J. R. F. 1998. Sphenacanthus, a Palaeozoic freshwater shark. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 122, 925.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dick, J. R. F.., Coates, M. I.Rolfe, W. D. I. 1986. Fossil sharks. Geology Today 2, 824.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gagnier, P. Y., Paris, F., Racheboef, P., Janvier, P.Suarez-Riglos, M. 1989. Les vertebres de Bolivie: données biostratigraphiques et anatomiques complémentaires. Bulletin de l'Institut français d'Etudes andines 18, 7593.Google Scholar
Gardiner, B. G. 1984. The relationships of the palaeoniscid fishes, a review based on new specimens of Mimia and Moythomasia from the Upper Devonian of Western Australia. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Geology 37, 173428.Google Scholar
Gardiner, B. G., Bartram, A. W. H. 1977. The homologies of ventral cranial fissures in osteichthyans. In Andrews, S. M., Miles, R. S., Walker, A. D. (eds). Problems in Vertebrate Evolution, 22745. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Gaudin, T. J. 1991. A re-examination of Elasmobranch monophyly and Chondrichthyan phylogeny. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Abhandlungen 182, 13360.Google Scholar
Goodrich, E. S. 1930. Studies on the structure and development of vertebrates. London: Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goujet, D. 1984. Les poissins Placodermes du Spitsberg. Arthrodires Dolichothoraci de la Formation de Wood Bay (Dévonien inférieur). Cahiers de Paléontologie, Centre national de la Rechèrche scientifique, Paris.Google Scholar
Gross, W. 1937. Das Kopfskelett von Cladodus wildungensis Jaekel. 1. Teil. Endocranium und Palatoquadratum. Senckenbergiana 19, 80107.Google Scholar
Gross, W. 1959. Arthrodiran aus dem Obersilur der prager Mulde. Palaeontographica A113, 135.Google Scholar
Harris, J. E. 1938. I. The dorsal spine of Cladoselache. II. The neurocranium and jaws of Cladoselache. Scientific Publications of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History 8, 112.Google Scholar
Huxley, T. H. 1880. On the application of the laws of evolution to the arrangement of the Vertebrata and more particularly of the Mammalia. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1880, 64962.Google Scholar
Janvier, P. 1996. Early vertebrates. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
Janvier, P.Dingerkus, G. 1991. Le synarcual de Pucapampella Janvier et Suarez-Riglos: une preuve de l'existence d'Holocéphales (Vertebrata, Chondrichthyes) dès le Dévonien moyen. Comptes-Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Paris 312, 54952.Google Scholar
Janvier, P.Suarez-Riglos, M. 1986. The Silurian and Devonian vertebrates of Bolivia. Bulletin de l'Institut franäais d'Etudes andines 15, 73114.Google Scholar
Jollie, M. 1971. Some developmental aspects of the head skeleton of the 35–37 mm. Squalus acanthias foetus. Journal of Morphology 133, 1740.Google Scholar
Long, J. A. 1995. The rise of fishes. Australia: University of New South Wales Press.Google Scholar
Lund, R. 1974. Stethacanthus altonensis (Elasmobranchii) from the Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana. Annals of the Carnegie Museum 45, 16178.Google Scholar
Lund, R. 1982. Harpagofututor volsellorhinus new genus and species (Chondrichthyes, Chondrenchelyiformes) from the Namurian Bear Gulch Limestone, Chondrenchelys problematica Traquair (Visean), and their sexual dimorphism. Journal of Paleontology 56, 93858.Google Scholar
Lund, R. 1984. On the spines of the Stethacanthidae (Chondrichthyes), with a description of a new genus from the Mississippian Bear Gulch Limestone. Geobios 17, 28195.Google Scholar
Lund, R. 1985a. The morphology of Falcatus falcatus St. John Worthen, a Mississippian stethacanthid chondrichthyan from the Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 5, 119.Google Scholar
Lund, R. 1985b. Stethacanthid elasmobranch remains from the Bear Gulch Limestone (Namurian E2b) of Montana. American Museum Novitates 2828, 124.Google Scholar
Lund, R. 1986a. On Damocles serratus, nov. gen. et sp. (Elasmobranchii: Cladodontida) from the Upper Mississippian Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 6, 1219.Google Scholar
Lund, R. 1986b. The diversity and relationships of the Holocephali. In Uyeno, T., Arai, R., Taniuchi, T., Matsuura, K. (eds). Indo-Pacific Fish Biology: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Indo-Pacific Fishes, 97106. Tokyo: Ichthyological Society of Japan.Google Scholar
Lund, R., Grogan, E. D. 1997. Relationships of the Chimaeriformes and the basal radiation of the Chondrichthyes. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 7, 65123.Google Scholar
Maisey, J. G. 1982. The anatomy and interrelationships of Mesozoic hybodont sharks. American Museum Novitates 2724, 148.Google Scholar
Maisey, J. G. 1983. Cranial anatomy of Hybodus basanus Egerton from the Lower Cretaceous of England. American Museum Novitates 2758, 164.Google Scholar
Maisey, J. G. 1984. Chondrichthyan phylogeny: a look at the evidence. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 4, 35971.Google Scholar
Maisey, J. G. 1985. Cranial morphology of the fossil elasmobranch Synechodus dubrisiensis. American Museum Novitates 2804, 128.Google Scholar
Maisey, J. G. 1987. Cranial anatomy of the Lower Jurassic shark Hybodus reticulatus (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii), with comments on hybodontid systematics. American Museum Novitates 2878, 139.Google Scholar
Maisey, J. G. 1989. Hamiltonichthys mapesi, g. & sp. nov. (Chondrichthyes; Elasmobranchii), from the Upper Pennsylvanian of Kansas. American Museum Novitates 2931, 142.Google Scholar
Maisey, J. G.de Carvalho, M. R. 1997. A new look at old sharks. Nature 385, 77980.Google Scholar
Miles, R. S. 1968. Jaw articulation and suspension in Acanthodes and their significance. Nobel Symposium 4, 10927.Google Scholar
Miles, R. S. 1973. Relationships of acanthodians. In Greenwood, P.H., Miles, R. S., Patterson, C. (eds). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Supplement 1 53, 63103.Google Scholar
Moss, M. J. 1977. Skeletal tissues in sharks. American Zoologist 17, 33542.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muñoz-Chápuli, R., Garrido, Garcia L. 1986. Cephalic blood vessels in elasmobranchs: anatomy and phylogenetic implications. In Uyeno, T., Arai, R., Taniuchi, T.Matsuura, K. (eds), Indo-Pacific Fish Biology: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Indo-Pacific Fishes, 16472. Tokyo: Ichthyological Society of Japan.Google Scholar
Newberry, J. S. 1889. The Paleozoic fishes of North America. United States Geological Survey Monograph 16, 1340.Google Scholar
Oelofsen, B. W. 1986. A fossil shark neurocranium from the PermoCarboniferous (Lowermost Ecca Formation) of South Africa. In Uyeno, T., Arai, R., Taniuchi, T., Matsuura, K. (eds), Indo-Pacific Fish Biology: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Indo-Pacific Fishes, 10724. Tokyo: Ichthyological Society of Japan.Google Scholar
Ørvig, T. 1951. Histologic studies of placoderm and fossil elasmobranchs. 1. The endoskeleton, with remarks on the hard tissues of lower vertebrates in general. Arkiv för Zoologi 2, 321454.Google Scholar
Patterson, C. 1965. The phylogeny of the chimaeroids. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B249, 101219.Google Scholar
Patterson, C. 1975. The braincase of pholidophorid and leptolepid fishes, with a review of the actinopterygian braincase. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B269, 275579.Google Scholar
Poplin, C.Véran, M. 1996. A revision of the actinopterygian fish Coccocephalus wildi from the Upper Carboniferous of Lancashire. Special Papers in Palaeontology 52, 729.Google Scholar
Romer, A. S. 1964. The braincase of the Paleozoic elasmobranch Tamiobatis. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 131, 87105.Google Scholar
Schaeffer, B. 1981. The xenacanth shark neurocranium, with comments on elasmobranch monophyly. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 169, 166.Google Scholar
Shirai, S. 1996. Phylogenetic interrelationships of neoselachians (Chondrichthyes: Euselachii). In Stiassny, M. L. J., Parenti, L. R., Johnson, G. D. (eds) Interrelationships of Fishes, 934. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Smith, M. M., Hall, B. K. 1990. Development and evolutionary origins of vertebrate skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues. Biological Reviews 65, 277373.Google Scholar
Soler-Gijón, R. 1997. New discoveries of xenacanth sharks from the Late Carboniferous of Spain (Puertollano Basin) and Early Permian of Germany (Saar-Nahe Basin): Implications for the phylogeny of xenacanthiform and anacanthous sharks. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 205, 131.Google Scholar
Stensiö, E. A. 1937. Notes on the endocranium of a Devonian Cladodus. Bulletin of the Geological Institute of Uppsala 27, 12844.Google Scholar
Stensiö, E. A. 1963. Anatomical studies on the arthrodiran head. Part 1. Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Hanlingar 9, 1419.Google Scholar
St. John, O.Worthen, A. H. 1875. Description of fossil fishes. Geological Survey of Illinois 6, 245488.Google Scholar
Swofford, D. L. 1990. PAUP, Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony, Version 3.0 (Computer program: Apple Macintosh version). Illinois Natural History Survey.Google Scholar
Traquair, R. H. 1898. On Cladodus neilsoni (Traquair), from the Carboniferous Limestone of East Kilbride. Transactions of the Geological Society, Glasgow 11, 4150.Google Scholar
Williams, M. E. 1985. The ‘cladodont level’ sharks of the Pennsylvanian Black Shales of central North America. Palaeontographica 190, 83158.Google Scholar
Williams, M. E. 1998. A new specimen of Tamiobatis vetustus (Chondrichthyes, Ctenacanthoidea) from the Late Devonian Cleveland Shale of Ohio. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 18, 25160.Google Scholar
Wood, S. P. 1982. New basal Namurian (Upper Carboniferous) fishes and crustaceans found near Glasgow. Nature 297, 57477.Google Scholar
Young, G. C. 1979. New information on the structure and relationships of Buchanosteus (Placodermi, Euarthrodira) from the Early Devonian of New South Wales. Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society 66, 30952.Google Scholar
Young, G. C. 1982. Devonian sharks from south-eastern Australia and Antarctica. Palaeontographica, 25, 81743.Google Scholar
Young, G. C. 1986. The relationships of placoderm fishes. Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society 88, 157.Google Scholar
Yu, X. 1998. A new porolepiform-like fish, Psarolepis romeri, gen. et sp. nov. (Sarcopterygii, Osteichthyes) from the Lower Devonian of Yunnan, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 18, 26174.Google Scholar
Zangerl, R. 1981. Chondrichthyes 1: Paleozoic Elasmobranchii. In Schultze, H. P. (ed.) Handbook of Paleoichthyology, 3A, Stuttgart, New York: Gustav Fischer Verlag.Google Scholar
Zangerl, R. 1984. On the microscopic anatomy and possible function of the spine-‘brush’ complex of Stethacanthus (Elasmobranchii: Symmoriida). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 4, 3728.Google Scholar
Zangerl, R. 1990. Two new stethacanthid sharks (Stethacanthidae, Symmoriida) from the Pennsylvanian of Indiana, USA. Palaeontographica A213, 11541.Google Scholar
Zangerl, R.Case, G. R. 1976. Cobelodus aculeatus (Cope), an anacanthous shark from the Pennsylvanian Black Shales of North America. Palaeontographica A154, 10757.Google Scholar
Zidek, J. 1992. Late Pennsylvanian Chondrichthyes, Acanthodii, and deep-bodied Actinopterygii from the Kinney Quarrey, Manzanita Mountains, New Mexico. In Zidek, J. (ed.) Geology and paleontology of the Kinney Brick Quarry, Late Pennsylvanian, central New Mexico. New Mexico Bureau of Mine & Mineral Resources 138, 14582.Google Scholar
Zidek, J. 1993. A large stethacanthid shark (Elasmobranchii, Symmoriida) from the Mississippian of Oklahoma. Oklahoma Geology Notes 53, 415.Google Scholar